The laboratory is located in beautiful La Jolla, California. We are part of Scripps Research at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, as well as the Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology. We are also affiliated with the Scripps Research Translational Institute, The Global Health Initiative at Scripps Research, The Center for Viral Systems Biology, The Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Consortium, The Viral Hemorrhagic Fever Immunotherapeutic Consortium, The West African Research Network for Infectious Diseases, and The Global Virus Network.

If you are interested in any of these jobs, please apply directly via the Scripps Research links provided under each position – make sure to include both a CV and cover letter in your application. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us via [email protected] – please also see the FAQs at the end of this page.

We are looking for a Postdoctoral Associate to lead computational development and genomic analysis projects focused on using phylogenetic techniques to understand the mechanisms and drivers of cholera transmission on the African continent. This position is joint between Shirlee Wohl and Kristian Andersen and is part of a newly established cholera consortium led by Africa CDC and Johns Hopkins University. This candidate will work closely with bioinformaticians at Africa CDC, scientists at Johns Hopkins University, external cholera experts, and international partners. Physical location and the possibility of remote work are open to discussion, and some travel to Africa is expected as part of this position.

We are looking for a dedicated individual with a keen interest in bioinformatic and phylogenetic methods that have a direct impact on decreasing the burden of cholera in Africa and elsewhere. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team of scientists, biologists, clinicians, and computational scientists working to develop the genomics capacity needed to advance our understanding of cholera and other pathogens. International candidates, especially those from or with experience in African countries, are encouraged to apply.

Read more and apply here. Qualification: PhD or equivalent.

We are looking for a Postdoctoral Associate to lead computational development and genomic analysis projects focused on understanding the evolution and spread of viral pathogens. This position is joint between Shirlee Wohl and Kristian Andersen and will lead exciting new projects at the intersection of bioinformatics, evolutionary biology, and global health. These projects include building on our ongoing work to understand the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and emergence of variants throughout the pandemic, as well as engaging in ongoing development of computational methods for analyzing wastewater sequencing data. The successful candidate will join a team working to develop and implement wastewater pathogen surveillance on a global scale, and will work closely with the developers of Freyja (https://github.com/andersen-lab/Freyja) and other bioinformatic software to develop broadly accessible guidance for the number and frequency of samples needed for adequate surveillance in varied settings. This position is part of a larger initiative under the Center for Viral Systems Biology (https://cvisb.org/) and the West African Research Network for Infectious Diseases (https://warn-id.org/).

We are looking for a dedicated individual with a keen interest in computational methods that have a direct impact on global health. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team of scientists, biologists, clinicians, and computational scientists to apply experimental and computational tools to advance our understanding of viral evolution and spread.

Read more and apply here. Qualification: PhD or equivalent.

We are looking for a Research Technician to work on our diverse projects using computational genomics approaches and high-throughput experiments to study emerging viruses and the outbreaks they cause, including SARS-CoV-2, Lassa, Ebola, West Nile, and Zika.

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to work in collaboration with other lab members to develop and deploy new tools for massive high-throughput sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 and West Nile virus. We are currently one of the top-10 producers of virus genomic data in the world and we are aiming to scale massively in the coming months and years. You will participate in making this a reality by developing and using novel sequencing platforms for SARS-CoV-2 and West Nile virus.

Read more and apply here. Qualification: BSc or equivalent, although significant laboratory experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.

Do you take graduate students?
Only in exceptional circumstances can we consider graduate students on an individual basis. Scripps Research has a graduate school and offers highly competitive (paid) graduate positions. Interested students should apply directly via this program – read more about the program on the website. Please note that we are currently not anticipating taking any new graduate students in the lab.

Do you take interns?
We normally don’t directly take interns in the lab, however, every summer we consider students via both the Scripps Research ‘SURF’ program and the Translational Institute ‘Student Research Internship’ program. If none of these programs fit your needs, but you still think that you’d be a fantastic fit for the lab, then please feel free to email us directly.

Do I need publications to be successful for a postdoc position?
Not necessarily, however, it is very hard to judge research productivity without publications (that’s not to say it’s easy to judge with publications either!). We honestly couldn’t care less which journal your research is in, but it is important to show that you have successfully driven productive projects from the initiation stage to the finish line. In line with this, we’re unfortunately unable to judge publications ‘in preparation’ or ‘under review’ – if you want us to take these under consideration, then make sure they’re on the bioRxiv (or similar) and link to them. If you have very few or no first-author publications, then please explain why that is the case in your email / cover letter (we understand science is unpredictable and sometimes things don’t work out).

Do you sponsor visas?
Yes, we are able to consider candidates requiring a visa for positions requiring a PhD or equivalent.

Do you sponsor green cards?
Unfortunately we do not. You would have to apply for an EB-1A and self petition.

Do you consider international candidates?
We do. However, COVID-19 and current U.S. policies may complicate our ability to consider international candidates from certain regions.

Am I required to get/have my own fellowship?
This is not required, however, it is always expected that candidates apply for fellowships. Successfully applying for independent funding is also going to be tremendously helpful for your future career prospects. Here is a great resource to look for fellowships and other funding opportunities for postdocs and here is a list for graduate students.

What are you mostly looking for in a candidate?
Brilliance and humor combined with an unquenching thirst for great science! Plus you gotta work well as part of a team.

I applied – what’s next?
We get many applications, so we are unfortunately unable to get back to everybody who apply. If you have applied for a postdoc position and haven’t heard back from us within a couple of weeks, but you think you’re a great fit, please email us again since things sometimes get lost in the ether. If we like you as a candidate and you have great references, then we’ll set up a conference call where we can chat more and you can ask all to questions you might have. After that, we have candidates do a virtual visit to present their current and future work. Please note, that because of COVID-19, there will currently be no in-person visits – but trust us when we say San Diego is a great place to live!

How long will my postdoc take?
Typically 3-5 years. However, this all depends on your future career choices and how productive you are. If you want to go for a tenure-track faculty position, then usually your postdoc will be longer than if you aim for industry or staff scientist positions. The reason for this is that for you to be competitive for a faculty position, you will need to show independence with a well laid out future research program in mind. For most people that takes a lot of time. Applying for faculty positions is also a very long process – typically 6-9 months.

Any tips on writing a strong cover letter for a postdoc position?
Be concise and accurate. In a sentence, why are you so awesome? And your research? Why do you fit so well into our lab? Learn about what we do and what our needs are. Also, if you incorporate a reference to the number 42 (and you understand why…) then we know that (a) you took the time to read this FAQ and the website, and (b) you’re clearly a nerd – that’s a promising start.

Is it fun to be part of the Andersen Lab?
Of course! Great colleagues, important and exciting science. Plus San Diego is awesome for science, biotech, beer, and outdoor fun.