At Cleveland Clinic Health System, we believe in a better future for healthcare. And each of us is responsible for honoring our commitment to excellence, pushing the boundaries and transforming the patient experience, every day.

We all have the power to help, heal and change lives — beginning with our own. That’s the power of the Cleveland Clinic Health System team, and The Power of Every One.

Job Title

Postdoctoral Fellow - Chao Ma Lab

Location

Cleveland

Facility

Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

Department

Job Code

X1004

Shift

Variable

Schedule

12:00am-12:00am

Job Summary

Highly motivated individuals with a PhD or MD/PhD in relevant area are encouraged to apply. This training position, under the direct supervision of a Cleveland Clinic Principal Investigator will provide practical training and experience in a research setting. This position is appointed through Cleveland Clinic Research. The successful applicant will be able to demonstrate a commitment to research, a collaborative work ethic and strong communication skills, both written and verbal. This program is expected to be completed within 5 years. Compensation follows the NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Salary Scale based on total years of postdoctoral experience.

Job Details

NIH NRSA Postdoctoral Salary Scale

Years of Experience: Stipend for FY 2026

0: $63,480
1: $63,900
2: $64,380
3: $66,948
4: $69,180
5: $71,748
6: $74,424
7 or More: $77,076

Principal Investigator: Chao Ma, PhD

Cleveland Clinic Research Department: Cancer Sciences

Lab Research Topics:

Organ-on-a-Chip, Microfluidics, Microphysiological system
Hematopoietic Biology and Hematological malignancies
Disease Modeling and Cancer Bioengineering
Stem cell Biology, Synthetic Biology, Systems biology, Spatial Omics
Biomedical/Mechanical/Tissue Engineering, 3D Printing

For more information about the lab's research, please visit: https://www.lerner.ccf.org/immunotherapy/ma/ or contact Dr. Ma at mac7@ccf.org

Responsibilities:

Independent project design with the goal of data generation, analysis, interpretation and manuscript preparation
Publish research articles in high-impact journals and present research results in national and international scientific meetings.
Contribute to project development and collaboration, grant writing, progress reports, and papers.
Contribute to lab management, protocol development and maintenance, and mentoring of junior trainees.

Education:

PhD or MD/PhD required
MD with relevant laboratory experience may substitute for PhD

Languages:

English Proficiency proof required for candidates arriving on J-1, J-2, or F1 + OPT visa status

Work Experience:

Previous experience in a research or academic setting. Graduate student experience meets this requirement.
Scientific writing experience

Additional Preferred Qualities:

Excellent writing and communication skills, able to work independently and effectively with other members in a productive team.
Strong research expertise in molecular, cellular, or tissue engineering are preferred.
Strong research expertise in immunology, immune-oncology, or immune-engineering are preferred.
Strong research expertise in culture of stem cell or organoid are preferred.
Strong training background in biomedical engineering, microfabrication, bioprinting, lab-on-a-chip and microfluidics are preferred.

Physical Requirements:

Ability to perform work in a stationary position for extended periods
Ability to operate a computer and other office equipment
Ability to communicate and exchange accurate information
Ability to distinguish color
Manual dexterity to handle specimens and repair equipment
Ability to lift and transport equipment or specimens weighing up to 20 pounds
May be exposed to hazardous chemicals, bio-hazards, radioactive materials, etc.

Personal Protective Equipment:

PPE per institutional requirements; may vary by laboratory

Preferred Application Materials:

A cover letter summarizing past research experience and accomplishments
Current and future research interests
Career goals (2-page maximum)
Current CV with publications
Contact information of three references

All application materials should be submitted directly via email to Chao Ma at mac7@ccf.org

Keywords: Postdoc, Research, Cleveland Clinic Research, Center for Immunotherapy and Precision Immuno-Oncology (CITI), Cell therapy and immune-engineering program (CTIP), Biomedical engineering, Cancer Bioengineering, Disease Modeling, Immunotherapy, Microfluidics, Organ-on-a-Chip/Lab-on-a-Chip, Pluripotent stem cell, CAR T-cell therapy

The policy of Cleveland Clinic Health System and its system hospitals (Cleveland Clinic Health System) is to provide equal opportunity to all of our caregivers and applicants for employment in our drug free environment. All offers of employment are followed by testing for controlled substances.

Cleveland Clinic Health System administers an influenza prevention program. You will be required to comply with this program, which will include obtaining an influenza vaccination on an annual basis or obtaining an approved exemption.

Decisions concerning employment, transfers and promotions are made upon the basis of the best qualified candidate without regard to color, race, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran or any other characteristic protected by law. Information provided on this application may be shared with any Cleveland Clinic Health System facility.

If applying for a Florida position, please see the following website for more information on the background screening requirements required by the Agency of Health Care Administration: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Please review the Equal Employment Opportunity poster.

Cleveland Clinic is pleased to be an equal employment opportunity employer.