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Advertising Summary: At VCU, we take pride in our deep commitment to our postdoctoral community. In 2026, the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) named VCU as one of only 12 recipients of its inaugural Institutional Policy Awards, in recognition of our transformative efforts to elevate quality of life and workplace equity for postdocs.

VCU postdocs are Virginia state employees, with benefits mirroring 12-month faculty. We adhere closely to the NPA’s guidelines for best practices in postdoc training. We work closely with our local NPA chapter, the VCU Postdoc Association, to make this a welcoming and productive place to complete your training!

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU’s sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer.

Unit: School Of Medicine MBU

Department: Cellular, Molecular and Genetic Medicine

Department Summary: The Department of Cellular, Molecular and Genetic Medicine is dedicated to unraveling the fundamental biology that supports health and drives disease. Our faculty, trainees and students tackle some of the most pressing challenges in biomedical science, from the molecular and genetic roots of disease to the complexities of whole-body physiology.

Our foundational studies are driving the frontiers of scientific discovery, pushing the boundaries of what we understand about biology, disease and the human body. From our labs in downtown Richmond to research collaborations around the world, our work is generating new knowledge, influencing the direction of biological science and redefining what is possible in biomedical research.

We are proud to be a community of passionate educators and mentors, deeply committed to empowering the next generation of scientists and leaders. With alumni enjoying successful careers across a broad spectrum of industries, our rigorous training programs offer students a transformative education that drives innovation today and creates lasting impact for tomorrow.

Position Summary:

A Postdoctoral position is available immediately in the Samso Lab to study structural and functional aspects of a calcium release channel in the context of skeletal and cardiac muscles using biochemistry, cell biology, and 3D structural determination using cryo-electron microscopy. The goal of the project is to gain mechanistic insight into the factors affecting intracellular calcium and cell excitability.

Please see https://medschool.vcu.edu/about/portfolio/details/msamso/ for further details.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Ability to design project(s), carry out experiments, analyze data, and interpret results independently
• Communicate periodically with the Principal Investigator
• Follow standard operating procedures established in the laboratory
• Maintain clear and detailed documentation through electronic and hand-written means
• Write scientific manuscripts
• Present results and national and international meetings
• Ability to collaborate with lab members
• Mentor junior members of the lab

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

• The candidate must have a PhD degree in Biochemistry, Chemistry, or a related field
• Record of scholarly achievement

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience in cryo-EM or structural biology

Salary Range: Commensurate starting at $63,480

Benefits: All VCU employee types are eligible for a wide array of benefits to support you during your employment at VCU. Consult the benefits website for information on benefits eligibility according to employee type.

FLSA Exemption Status: Exempt

Hours per Week: 40

ORP Eligible: Yes

Flexible Work Arrangement: No

Restricted Position: Yes

Sensitive Position: No

University Job Title: Post-Doctoral Fellow

Contact Information:

Contact Email: SOMHR@vcuhealth.org