Overview

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit organization providing adult cancer treatment and groundbreaking research focused on cancer and infectious diseases. Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington.

With a track record of global leadership in bone marrow transplantation, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunotherapy and COVID-19 vaccines, Fred Hutch has earned a reputation as one of the world's leading cancer, infectious disease and biomedical research centers. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services, and network affiliations with hospitals in five states. Together, our fully integrated research and clinical care teams seek to discover new cures to the world's deadliest diseases and make life beyond cancer a reality.

At Fred Hutch we value collaboration, compassion, determination, excellence, innovation, integrity and respect. Our mission is directly tied to the humanity, dignity and inherent value of each employee, patient, community member and supporter. Our commitment to learning across our differences and similarities make us stronger. We seek employees who bring different and innovative ways of seeing the world and solving problems.

The Subramaniam lab at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Fellow to study mechanisms of mRNA translation and post-transcriptional regulation in human cells. Our group uses high-throughput experimental and computational approaches to understand how mRNA sequence elements and regulatory factors control gene expression in both physiological and disease contexts.

Current projects leverage ReLiC, a high-throughput CRISPR screening platform that we recently developed to systematically discover factors that control translation and mRNA stability on a genome-wide scale (Nugent et al., Nature Methods 2025). The fellow will lead projects that build on this platform and develop new questions and tools in this space. We are particularly interested in understanding the effects of cell identity, environmental stresses, and subcellular mRNA localization on post-transcriptional gene regulation. We are also actively studying the role of non-canonical translation events in antiviral immunity.

The Subramaniam lab is part of the Basic Sciences Division and the Computational Biology Program at Fred Hutch, providing a collaborative environment at the interface of molecular biology, functional genomics, and data science. Fred Hutch hosts more than 200 postdoctoral fellows and offers mentoring and career development resources through the Office of Scientific Career Development and the Student/Postdoc Advisory Committee. More information about the lab can be found at https://rasilab.github.io.

To apply, please submit a CV and a cover letter along with contact information for 2 references. The cover letter should specifically address how your background and interests align with the above research directions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead an independent research project that aligns with the lab's interests in mRNA translation and post-transcriptional regulation.
• Design, perform, and analyze deep-sequencing experiments to discover regulatory RNA elements and trans-acting factors.
• Use targeted biochemical and genetic approaches to characterize RNA sequence motifs and regulatory complexes.
• Learn and apply computational methods to analyze large-scale sequencing datasets.
• Present findings in group meetings, seminars, and conferences.

Opportunities and Expectations:

• Engage deeply with your scientific questions and take initiative in driving project direction.
• Build an interdisciplinary skill set that spans experimental and computational methods.
• Apply for postdoctoral fellowships and/or career development awards with mentoring and institutional support.
• Publish highly impactful work.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• PhD (or equivalent) in a relevant field (e.g., molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, RNA biology, bioengineering) by the start date.
• Experience with biochemical and/or genetic approaches to study cellular processes.
• A strong publication record (for example, at least one first-author publication or preprint).
• Independent work ethic, excellent communication skills, and collaborative mindset.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Background in RNA biology, translation, or post-transcriptional regulation.
• Experience with mammalian cell culture.

We are particularly interested in candidates who think quantitatively and rigorously about biological problems and who are motivated to develop an independent line of work within the broader themes of the lab.

To apply, please submit a CV and a cover letter along with contact information for 2 references. The cover letter should specifically address how your background and interests align with the above research directions."

The annual base salary range for this position is from $80,172 to $95,014, and pay offered will be based on experience and qualifications.

This position may be eligible for relocation assistance.

This position is not eligible for H-1B sponsorship at this time.Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center offers employees a comprehensive benefits package designed to enhance health, well-being, and financial security. Benefits include medical/vision, dental, flexible spending accounts, life, disability, retirement, family life support, employee assistance program, onsite health clinic, income-based child care subsidy, tuition reimbursement, paid vacation (22 days per year), paid sick leave (up to 30 calendar days per occurrence of a qualifying reason), paid holidays (13 days per year), and paid parental leave (up to 4 weeks).

Additional Information