Research Scientist (Staff)

A Research Scientist (staff) position is available in the Oghalai Lab at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine within the Caruso Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

Job duties:

• Serves as a key research scientist who is recognized as a national authority on topics in specialized field. Acts more independently and with a greater degree of freedom than senior research associate.
• Plans, designs and conducts highly specialized, technical and unusually complex research projects independently. Works under consultative direction from supervisor toward long-range goals and objectives. Uses expertise in auditory and vestibular neuroscience research to both design and carry out multi-faceted, hypothesis-based experiments to understand the molecular mechanisms of ear disorders and cochlear mechanics.
• May contribute to the development of advanced new concepts, techniques and standards, such as acquiring in vivo, two-photon images of cochlea, to achieve new scientific goals that leads to scientific progress and potential therapies for hearing and vestibular impairment.
• Analyzes research data and provides interpretations. Uses data analysis using programs like Imaris and Matlab, interpreting results based on expert scientific knowledge in the fields of cochlear mechanics and hair cell physiology.
• Contributes to the development of research documentation for publication and/or prepares technical reports, papers and/or records.
• Develops solutions to research problems of unusually complexity, which require a high degree of ingenuity, creativity and innovativeness.
• Makes presentations at academic and/or practitioner conferences.
• Provides leadership, direction and guidance to staff and/or student workers as needed.

The annual base salary range for this position is $98,836.20 – $141,053.04. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Minimum Education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate
Minimum Experience: 5 years
Minimum Field of Expertise: Directly related education and experience in research specialization with highly advanced knowledge of equipment, procedures, analysis methods, principles, theories and concepts. Demonstrated leadership in developing new ideas and ability to publish in appropriate academic and practitioner outlets. Demonstrated independent thinking and leadership in scholarly writing according to such criteria as: first authored publications, conceptual leadership in the development of publications generated alone or with others, writing of first drafts of publications and/or single authored publications.