Research Assistant

The Institute for Computational Medicine (ICM) is seeking a highly motivated Post-Baccalaureate Research Assistant to join our dynamic, interdisciplinary team focused on computational modeling and algorithm development for predicting CD8 and CD4 T cell antigens. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of advanced computational tools to predict cancer neoantigens, tumor antigens, and antigens derived from pathogens in both human and mouse models. This position is ideal for recent graduates interested in applying bioinformatics, computational biology, and machine learning to immunology and cancer research.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Develop, refine, and implement computational algorithms to predict T cell antigens with an emphasis on CD8 and CD4 T cell responses.
• Design models that identify antigens across diverse biological contexts, including tumor-associated antigens, neoantigens, and pathogen-derived antigens.
• Apply machine learning methods and integrate multi-omics data, including genomic, proteomic, and transcriptomic datasets, to improve prediction accuracy.
• Validate predictions using benchmark datasets, in collaboration with experimental teams when necessary.
• Perform cross-species comparisons (human and mouse models) to optimize algorithmic performance across different biological systems.
• Contribute to ongoing projects, including the development of community resources such as OpenNEO, by integrating cutting-edge antigen discovery techniques.
• Assist with data analysis, visualization, and documentation, preparing reports and manuscripts for publication.

• Bachelor's Degree in related discipline.

• Additional related experience may substitute for required education, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
• Experience with programming languages such as Python, R, or similar.

• Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.

• Bachelor's Degree Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Immunology, or a related field.

• Familiarity with machine learning frameworks (e.g., scikit-learn, PyTorch, or TensorFlow) is preferred.
• Basic understanding of immune system processes, especially T cell responses and antigen presentation mechanisms (MHC-I and MHC-II), is preferred.
• Experience working with genomic or proteomic data is preferred.

Classified Title: Research Assistant 
Role/Level/Range: ACRO40/E/03/CD  
Starting Salary Range: $17.20 - $30.30 HRLY (Commensurate w/exp.) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm 
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt 
Location: Homewood Campus 
Department name: ​​​​​​​Institute for Computational Medicine  
Personnel area: Whiting School of Engineering