The Department of Pediatrics is one of the largest departments within the School of Medicine with approximately 171 Faculty, 50 post-doctoral fellows (both MDs and PhDs) along with over 300 support staff (not including hospital staff). In addition, the Department has 57 clinical residents and fellows distributed across the Divisions. The missions of research, education, and patient care are intertwined and are integral to the goals of the department.

The Department has undergone significant growth in recent years with a consolidated budget of approximately $106 million including sponsored projects expenditures of approximately $54 million and clinical revenue of over $ 52 million. This expansion of the Department's research and clinical portfolio is expected to continue in the next few years.

The Department's 16 divisions include Academic General Pediatrics, Child Development & Community Health; Allergy, Immunology, and Rheumatology; Cardiology; Dysmorphology; Emergency Medicine; Endocrinology; Gastroenterology; Genetics; Genome Information Sciences; Hospital Medicine; Host-Microbe Systems and Therapeutics; Infectious Diseases; Neonatology; Nephrology; and Respiratory Medicine.

In 2001, physicians and leadership of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), Rady Children's, and Children's Specialists of San Diego (CSSD) unified pediatric patient care, research, education and community service programs, creating a university-affiliated children's health system to serve the region. Over the past two decades, an extensive list of joint programs has developed, with many physicians and researchers playing a role at both institutions.

This affiliation has consolidated the clinical, teaching, research and public service programs of the UCSD School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics with San Diego's only health care system dedicated to the health and well-being of children. In 2009, this partnership was furthered by the creation of Rady Children's Specialists of San Diego, a Medical Foundation, and is now recognized as having global leaders in research, technology, translational medicine, education and clinical excellence.

The Coufal lab studies neuroimmunology and the role of microglia, the inflammatory cell type of the brain, in neurodevelopment, aging, and both idiopathic and genetic neurologic disease using a variety of in vitro and in vivo models and stem cell derived microglia.

Under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, and in conjunction with researchers in the Principal Investigator's laboratory, the Staff Research Associate will assist with a variety of techniques including induced pluripotent stem cell research, differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells to a variety of cell fates including microglia, neurons, astrocytes, and cerebral organoids. The incumbent will learn and apply murine surgical techniques, western blotting, immunohistochemistry brains and organoids, and cryostat sectioning. The incumbent has opportunities to learn and master a variety of techniques. The Staff Research Associate contributes to experimental design as able.

• Theoretical knowledge of molecular biology or cellular biology or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Ability to take direction, be detail-oriented, follow step-wise protocols, and perform repetitive tasks in a fast-paced laboratory environment. Able to learn new procedures.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, establishing and maintaining good workingrelationships with P.I., supervisor, postdoctoral scholars, and other members of the research group.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in standard English, in writing, electronically, and by spoken word with lab members and vendors.

• Willingness to work with murine models.

• Experience with stem cell biology, microglial and neuronal differentiations and complex cocultures.

• Knowledge of general molecular biology techniques, and use of common laboratory equipment.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.

• Must be able to work in environment where biological and chemical hazards are present.

• Must be able to work with human cells including established induced pluripotent stem cells and human embryonic stem cells.

• Must be willing to variable work schedule to accommodate research needs, including occasional overtime, nights, weekends.

• Must be willing to work with mice including surgical and terminal procedures.