UHN is Canada’s #1 hospital and the world’s #1 publicly funded hospital. With 10 sites and more than 44,000 TeamUHN members, UHN consists of Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, The Michener Institute of Education and West Park Healthcare Centre. As Canada's top research hospital, the scope of biomedical research and complexity of cases at UHN have made it a national and international source for discovery, education and patient care. UHN has the largest hospital-based research program in Canada, with major research in neurosciences, cardiology, transplantation, oncology, surgical innovation, infectious diseases, genomic medicine and rehabilitation medicine. UHN is a research hospital affiliated with the University of Toronto.
UHN’s vision is to build A Healthier World and it’s only because of the talented and dedicated people who work here that we are continually bringing that vision closer to reality.
www.uhn.ca
Job DescriptionUnion: Non-Union
Number of Vacancies: 1
New or Replacement: New
Site: PMCRT / Princess Margaret Cancer Research Tower - 101 College St, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7
Department: Ajmera Transplant Centre Research Institute (ATC-RI)
Reports to: Dr. Michael Henneresse
Hours: 37.5
Salary: CAD 54,902 – CAD 93,333 per year, commensurate with experience and level of appointment (PDR I–III)
Shifts: Monday - Friday
Status: Temporary Full-Time
Closing Date: June 30, 2026
Position Summary:
The successful candidate will join a research program in programmable immune engineering at UHN, based at the ATC-RI and affiliated with the University of Toronto. The lab focuses on designing engineered human immune cells that maintain stable and regulated function in complex clinical environments, with a particular emphasis on transplantation alongside applications in cancer and infection. The research program integrates CRISPR-based genome engineering, RNA-based modulation, and advanced human tissue and organoid models to define generalizable design principles for immune function under clinical stress conditions such as inflammation, immunosuppression, and chronic antigen exposure. A central goal is to establish programmable immune resilience as a design parameter for clinically deployable cell therapies. Experimental approaches include genetic engineering of human T cells, development of non-viral and mRNA-based delivery strategies, and functional validation in physiologically relevant human model systems, closely aligned with translational and biomanufacturing workflows at UHN. Example application areas include regulatory T cell engineering for stability under inflammatory and pharmacologic constraint. The Postdoctoral Researcher will play a key role in building and shaping this research platform and will have the opportunity to develop independent research directions within a highly interdisciplinary and translational environment.
Duties:
- Design, execute, and interpret independent research projects in immune engineering
- Establish and advance experimental platforms for human T cell engineering, including genome editing and RNA-based approaches
- Develop and perform functional assays to assess immune cell activity, stability, and phenotype
- Apply human model systems, including organoid and ex vivo approaches, in clinically relevant contexts
- Contribute to the scientific development of the lab
- Supervise and support junior trainees as the group grows
- Prepare manuscripts for publication and contribute to grant writing
- Work in close interaction with clinical and translational programs at UHN
- PhD in immunology, molecular biology, bioengineering, or a related discipline
- Strong experimental background in immune cell biology, ideally with experience in human T cell systems
- Demonstrated ability to design, execute, and interpret experiments independently
- Demonstrated scientific productivity, including peer-reviewed publications
- Experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable: genome editing (e.g., CRISPR), RNA-based approaches, gene delivery technologies, or advanced cell culture systems
- Familiarity with flow cytometry (including spectral flow) and functional immune assays
- Interest in translational research and clinically relevant model systems
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently and in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment
- Prior experience mentoring students or junior trainees is an asset
Why join UHN?
In addition to working alongside some of the most talented and inspiring healthcare professionals in the world, UHN offers a wide range of benefits, programs and perks. It is the comprehensiveness of these offerings that makes it a differentiating factor, allowing you to find value where it matters most to you, now and throughout your career at UHN.
- Competitive offer packages
- Government organization and a member of the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan (HOOPP https://hoopp.com/)
- Close access to Transit and UHN shuttle service
- A flexible work environment
- Opportunities for development and promotions within a large organization
- Additional perks (multiple corporate discounts including: travel, restaurants, parking, phone plans, auto insurance discounts, on-site gyms, etc.)
Current UHN employees must have successfully completed their probationary period, have a good employee record along with satisfactory attendance in accordance with UHN's attendance management program, to be eligible for consideration.
All applications must be submitted before the posting close date.
UHN uses email to communicate with selected candidates. Please ensure you check your email regularly.
Please be advised that a Criminal Record Check may be required of the successful candidate. Should it be determined that any information provided by a candidate be misleading, inaccurate or incorrect, UHN reserves the right to discontinue with the consideration of their application.
UHN is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive recruitment process and workplace. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage of the recruitment process. Applicants need to make their requirements known.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.
Skills Required
- PhD in immunology, molecular biology, bioengineering, or a related discipline.
- Strong experimental background in immune cell biology, ideally with experience in human T cell systems.
- Demonstrated ability to design, execute, and interpret experiments independently.
- Demonstrated scientific productivity, including peer-reviewed publications.
- Experience in genome editing (e.g., CRISPR), RNA-based approaches, gene delivery technologies, or advanced cell culture systems.
- Familiarity with flow cytometry (including spectral flow) and functional immune assays.
- Interest in translational research and clinically relevant model systems.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment.
- Prior experience mentoring students or junior trainees.
What We Do
University Health Network is Canada's largest research hospital and a public research and teaching hospital network in Toronto, Ontario, known for its scope of research and complexity of cases.
