Research Technician II

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is an independent, nonprofit organization providing adult cancer treatment and groundbreaking research focused on cancer and infectious diseases. Based in Seattle, Fred Hutch is the only National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center in Washington.

With a track record of global leadership in bone marrow transplantation, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunotherapy and COVID-19 vaccines, Fred Hutch has earned a reputation as one of the world's leading cancer, infectious disease and biomedical research centers. Fred Hutch operates eight clinical care sites that provide medical oncology, infusion, radiation, proton therapy and related services, and network affiliations with hospitals in five states. Together, our fully integrated research and clinical care teams seek to discover new cures to the world's deadliest diseases and make life beyond cancer a reality.

At Fred Hutch we value collaboration, compassion, determination, excellence, innovation, integrity and respect. Our mission is directly tied to the humanity, dignity and inherent value of each employee, patient, community member and supporter. Our commitment to learning across our differences and similarities make us stronger. We seek employees who bring different and innovative ways of seeing the world and solving problems.

The Zhang Lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center is seeking a Temporary Research Technician II to support ongoing research developing statistical methods to leverage immunologic biomarkers and complex molecular testing data for advancing vaccines against respiratory diseases. The position will focus on applying and extending rigorous biostatistical and machine learning approaches to biological data.

This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of causal inference, statistical design, and computational biology. Working under the joint mentorship of Drs. Gilbert and Zhang, the technician will employ advanced statistical and AI-based methods to analyze viral genomic sequences, protein structures, and immunophenotypic data for pathogens such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2. The goal is to identify biomarkers and mechanism-based predictors of vaccine efficacy, drawing on both new and historical clinical trial data.

Develop and implement causal inference and evidence synthesis approaches to integrate immunologic biomarker data from clinical trials and observational studies, under guidance from senior investigators.
• Apply machine learning and computational modeling techniques to analyze viral sequence, protein structure, and immunophenotype data, including use of modern deep learning tools where appropriate.
• Contribute to the design and statistical analysis of vaccine efficacy studies by incorporating historical trial data and real-world data sources (e.g., registries, claims databases, retrospective cohorts).
• Evaluate associations between viral and immunologic features and clinical outcomes, including treatment effects and participant characteristics.
• Write, maintain, and document reproducible code and analytical workflows for complex biomedical datasets.
• Conduct statistical analyses, interpret findings, and communicate results to collaborators with appropriate context and rigor.
• Support preparation of manuscripts, presentations, and reports by generating figures, drafting methods and results sections, and contributing to revisions.
• Perform targeted literature reviews to inform methodological choices and study design.
• Collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team, contributing to discussions and helping translate research questions into analytical plans.
• Maintain well-organized, reproducible records of data processing, analysis methods, and results.
• Participate in lab and project meetings, providing updates and contributing to ongoing research efforts.
• Perform other related computational and research tasks as assigned.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in related scientific field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 2 years of experience working in a lab outside of school coursework.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Independent research experience.

The hourly pay range for this position is from $27.01 to $38.45 and pay offered will be based on experience and qualifications.

Although Fred Hutch is not sponsoring most H-1B visas at this time, candidates who already hold an H-1B sponsored by another organization and are currently in the U.S. may be eligible for this position.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center offers employees access to a retirement savings plan, an employee assistance program, paid sick leave (1 hour for every 30 hours worked), and prorated paid holidays (up to 11 days per year).