Research Assistant Professor - Robertson Lab - Military veterans preferred

Responsibilities: We are seeking to hire a Research Assistant Professor to join a cohesive, multi-disciplinary team of world leaders drawn from five institutions whose objective is to make meaningful discoveries that improve the treatment of intracranial aneurysms (IAs). The faculty member will work closely with the PI in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science to oversee the local research team while also carrying forth research on cerebral aneurysms and, to a lesser degree, developing a digital twin of the bladder.

The management side of the position will include overseeing the day to day activities in the PI’s experimental laboratory, overseeing and organizing the large bank of human aneurysm and artery specimens, interfacing with the collaborating clinical sites on the proper handling and transport of the specimens from the clinic to the Pitt laboratory, supervising and instructing doctoral students in experimental techniques, supporting the preparation of grant proposals and reports, and working to ensure all group members have the appropriate safety training.

From the scientific side, the faculty member will collaborate with the entire multidisciplinary team on the biomechanics of cerebral aneurysms and their relationship to aneurysm wall pathology. Collectively, the team holds expertise in the clinical management and treatment of IAs, biology of the IA wall, patient-specific CFD modeling, and biomechanics of IA walls. The faculty member will contribute expertise in bioimaging, mechanical testing, and quantitative assessment of the aneurysm specimens.

Responsibilities will also include preparing and submitting scientific manuscripts, participating in conferences to disseminate research findings, and mentoring junior team members in preparation for their presentations. In parallel, the principal investigator (PI) will provide mentorship aimed at supporting the faculty member's progression toward establishing an independent research program.

Required Educational Background: Applicant must have a Ph.D. in a field of engineering in a field relevant to the aneurysm project, such as bioengineering or mechanical engineering.

Required Skillset:

Technical Skills and Qualifications:

- The applicant should hold a PhD degree or higher in a field of engineering in a field relevant to the aneurysm project, such as bioengineering.

- The applicant should have at least 5 years of experience working with biological soft tissues, with preference given to applicants with experience in brain aneurysms.

- The applicant should have proficiency in bioimaging, including: multiphoton microscopy, microCT imaging, electron microscopy, classical histology, confocal microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy.

- The applicant should have expertise in mechanical testing, including i) custom designing devices for testing soft tissues, performing uniaxial and biaxial mechanical testing, and associated data interpretation.

- Experience working with human tissues - an understanding of protocols for safe handling of human specimens, as well as an understanding of requirements for human subjects research (confidentiality, etc).

- Some experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) would be useful, but is not essential.

Professional Skills and Qualifications

- Excellent project management and organizational skills

- Demonstrated experience in supervising and mentoring graduate-level researchers

- Strong record of publishing research findings in academic journals

- Excellent people skills and ability to resolve conflicts

- Excellent skills in public speaking and presentation preparation

- Proven ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams with particular emphasis on engineers, neurosurgeons, and clinical staff.

- Desire to learn and grow professionally

PI277809326