Positions

We are currently recruiting Postdoctoral Fellows and Graduate Students

 

Postdoctoral Fellow Applicants

A postdoc position is currently available.  Postdocs in the lab usually lead team projects that are rooted in the major research questions of the lab.  Individuals are encouraged to apply for independent funding to support their research.  We are especially interested in postdocs looking to perform wet and dry studies, and those with strong leadership and communication skills.

If you are considering applying, please contact Jill as early as possible to begin discussing ideas for a potential project and your anticipated timeline.

You may be a great candidate for one of three outstanding postdoctoral training programs at UNC.

  1.  Cancer Epigenetics Training Program. The CETP program is NCI-funded and provides up to 2 years of funding and you can apply before you set up your interview in the Dowen Lab. With outstanding mentors and an able leadership team, the training plan will yield the next generation of young scientists who focus on the role of epigenetic changes in human tumor development.
  2. Integrative Training in Cancer Model Systems. The ITCMS postdoctoral training program at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center provides an exceptional interdisciplinary training experience, including outstanding basic and translational research opportunities with renowned investigators, and an extensive scope of workshops and training modules with an emphasis on cancer model systems.
  3. Seeding Posdoctoral Innovators In Research and Education. The SPIRE program is a multi-dimensional professional development program for science researchers and educators to succeed in academic careers, to bring engaging teaching methods into the classroom, and to increase diversity in science professions.

Graduate Student Applicants

If you are interested in becoming a graduate student in our lab you must apply to UNC’s Biological & Biomedical Sciences Program.  BBSP is an umbrella program that admits students from a broad range of research areas.  During the first year of the program students do 3 laboratory rotations in labs across the many Departments at UNC.  We generally have a few graduate students rotate in our lab each year and one join the lab to complete their thesis work.

Graduate students in BBSP join a degree-granting program after their first year.  For our graduate students, they often join Genetics & Molecular Biology programBiology program, or Biochemistry & Biophysics program.  During the 5 years generally spent in the lab, a graduate student’s funding support is covered by the BBSP program, training grants, and grants from our lab.

 

Undergraduate Student Applicants

Undergraduate students can join the lab through different mechanisms.  We are especially interested in training students who are considering pursuing a career in research and can commit to working in the lab for more than 1 year.

  1.  Volunteer
  2. Federal Work-Study program.  Eligible students can work part-time in the lab to fund their college costs.  These students often assist in the general functioning of the lab and contribute to ongoing projects.  These openings will be posted on JobX at the beginning of the semester (in August and January).
  3. Research for credit during fall, spring and summer semesters.
    1. BIOL395.  Earn 3 credit hours for 10-12 hours of lab research per week.  Write a ~10 page paper at the end of the semester.  This class can be taken more than once.  Pre-requisite BIOL201 or BIOL202.
    2. BIOL495.  Earn 3 credit hours for 10-12 hours of lab research per week.  Present a poster at the Biology Department Symposium at the end of the semester.  This class can be taken more than once.  Pre-requisite BIOL201 or BIOL202.
    3. BIOL692H Senior Honors Thesis.  Earn 3 credit hours for 10-12 hours of lab research per week plus take a 2 hour class each week.  Prerequisite of 3 hours of BIOL395, GPA 3.4
  4. Funding is often available to perform research in a full-time paid position.

To apply, please read the Biology Department’s Undergraduate Research pages and send a resume with grades to Jill Dowen.