Join the Rajan Lab
We’re a small, highly collaborative team tackling how inter-organ communication shapes physiology and brain health—especially fat-to-brain signals that influence innate immunity, cognition, hunger, and brain senescence/aging. We work primarily in Drosophila with growing mammalian extensions, combining genetics, advanced imaging, physiology, and -omics. We value curiosity, rigor, and kindness. If you’re excited to build new biology at the interface of metabolism, innate immunity and the brain, we’d love to hear from you.
Open Roles
Staff Scientist –The staff scientist role is a stable, career-track role with a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a creative, supportive lab environment. It is designed for scientists who want to take on leadership and mentorship roles in an interdisciplinary lab, without the pressure of pursuing the PI/tenure-track path. Prior experience with Drosophila is mandatory for this role.
We are seeking applicants who bring:
Extensive experience in Drosophila genetics (minimum 5 years)
Strong organizational and communication skills
Enthusiasm for mentoring and supporting junior scientists in the lab
Interest in collaborative, interdisciplinary research
Imaging expertise (confocal and/or super-resolution) and/or biochemistry skills are a significant plus
Staff scientist role: Anchor assays and platforms, mentor trainees, and accelerate multi-lab collaborations; ideal for a creative experimentalist who enjoys building durable toolkits and shaping manuscripts.
Review of applications will begin immediately, and we anticipate identifying a candidate by early 2026. Please apply here.
Postdoctoral Fellow – Drive independent, high-impact projects with close mentorship from Akhila and clear pathways to fellowships and future independence. Experience or strong interest in snRNA-seq, quantitative proteomics, TRAP/RiboTag, lipidomics, glial biology, innate immunity, ER-Mito contacts biology or inter-organ circuit mapping is a plus.
Graduate Students – We welcome rotation students from the MCB and M3D programs.
How to apply: Please apply through your program portal and indicate interest in the Rajan Lab. Once matched, email Akhila (akhila@fredhutch.org) with your CV and a short note on your research interests to coordinate a rotation project.
What to expect during a rotation: Rotation students in the Rajan Lab will gain hands-on exposure to Drosophila genetics, imaging, and molecular biology, as well as learn how we study fat–brain communication and brain senescence. Students typically take on a focused mini-project (e.g., testing a genetic perturbation, imaging glial responses, or analyzing lipidomics data) that connects directly to ongoing lab questions. Rotators are also fully integrated into lab life—participating in group meetings, journal clubs, and discussions—so they can experience our collaborative and interdisciplinary culture.
Why Join Us
Interdisciplinary, supportive environment in the Basic Sciences Division at Fred Hutch
Access to outstanding core facilities across Fred Hutch and the South Lake Union research ecosystem
Seattle offers a balanced lifestyle; positions include competitive salaries and benefits
Start window for postdoc/staff scientist roles: late 2025–early 2026, with a final start date no later than May 2026
How to Apply
Email akhila@fredhutch.org with:
CV
Brief cover letter (what you want to work on and why our lab)
For postdocs/staff scientists, a 1-page research vision (how your skills intersect with fat–brain signaling, brain senescence, or adipokine-related mechanisms)