Q: Is JAX an industry employer?
A: JAX is a non-profit research institution. While many know JAX as a provider of research mice, we have a large basic research division that operates quite like a university department. Our research faculty direct independent labs comprised of students, research assistants, postdocs, and staff scientists. They apply for grants from the NIH, NSF and other external funding sources. We publish papers in top peer-reviewed journals, such as Cell, Science, and Nature. Our research faculty are not expected to produce anything other than quality research. Although one did send mice into space!
Q: Does everyone at JAX work with mouse models?
A: While many PIs conduct research with mice, many faculty work with cell lines, organoid cultures and on computational projects.
Q: How many trainees does JAX have?
A: JAX has a vibrant community of trainees working to achieve the next step of their careers in the biomedical sciences, including Postdoctoral Associates, Predoctoral Students, Postbaccalaureate Interns, and Research Interns. During the summer, they are joined by an exceptionally talented group of budding scientists in our Summer Student Program, which began in 1925.
Q: Does JAX award Ph.D.s?
A: JAX is proud to partner with the Tufts University Graduate School of Biomedical Science, the University of Connecticut at Storrs department of Computer Science and Engineering, the UConn Health program in Biomedical Sciences, and the University of Maine Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering. Applicants admitted into these programs satisfy academic and curricular requirements while performing their dissertation research at JAX. Learn more about our Cooperative Ph.D. Program here.
Q: Are trainees encouraged to publish and present at conferences?
A: Absolutely! Communicating and disseminating your science is a crucial part of your professional development. Our basic research groups produce a large number of impactful peer-reviewed publications each year. We encourage trainees to participate in conferences through our Travel Award program to defray costs. If your research results in intellectual property that you and your PI plan to commercialize, JAX’s technology transfer experts can advise you on how to proceed.
Q: Are trainees encouraged to apply for fellowships and grants?
A: JAX is proud of its many trainees who have been awarded extramural funding. In collaboration with their PIs, trainees are encouraged to apply for fellowships and grants, such as F31/32 and K99 awards. Our JAX Scholar Award is an internal competitive funding mechanism for exceptional work at the Postdoc level. To support grant writing skills and proposal development, JAX GE partners with our Sponsored Research Administration to provide workshops and one-to-one writing assistance.
Q: Does JAX support international Postdocs?
A: We value our diverse community of trainees, including those joining JAX from other countries. Currently, over half of our Postdoctoral Associates have international origins. Through Human Resources and our Global Mobility Manager, JAX supports colleagues by facilitating the hiring and visa processes.
Q: How do I apply for a Postdoc position?
A: Our open positions can be found online here. We encourage you to learn about our research faculty, and to reach out to a PI with whom you would like to work. It’s completely normal to make inquiries 6-12 months in advance of your desired start date.
Q: What else should I know about JAX?
A: It’s hard to gauge the spirit of an organization, but our social media feeds @jacksonlab and @JAX_Education do a great job of highlighting what we’re all about.
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