NIH Postbaccalaureate Research Education Programs (PREP) Scholars

The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Diversity Research Programs at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) invites applications for scholars to participate in the NIH Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP), which is overseen by the UCSC PREP Faculty Director and Principal Investigator, Professor of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology William Sullivan.

The STEM Diversity Research Programs are committed to promoting diversity in the sciences by providing direct services that support students, bolstering their science identity through STEM research training, professional development, and academic support. We support students from underrepresented and underserved backgrounds to achieve their educational and career goals by providing them with hands-on research experience and fostering a sense of inclusion, acceptance, and community.

UCSC PREP offers recent graduates the opportunity to gain intensive research experience in the biomedical sciences and benefit from a wide range of professional development opportunities. PREP scholars participate in a full-time postbaccalaureate program, working 30 hours per week (75%) on biomedical-related research under the supervision of a faculty mentor, with the remainder of the week (25% ) devoted to academic preparation and professional development. The program aims to strengthen participants' competitiveness for admission to leading Ph.D. programs and to prepare them for success in earning advanced degrees in the biomedical field.

The PREP scholars' research duties will involve laboratory work, computation, data collection and analysis, participating in laboratory group and other meetings, and assisting with writing manuscripts for publication. Selected candidates will be expected to maintain a detailed laboratory notebook of experimental procedures and data, and they will expected to archive, label, and document graphic and tabular data for publications, proposals, and/or presentations.

Program participants will be provided funds to travel to a national scientific conference; a GRE preparation course; professional development workshops; program support for graduate school applications; holistic mentoring from STEM Diversity staff; and medical, dental, vacation, and retirement benefits.

Ideal candidates will have strong interpersonal, communication, and decision-making skills, and will effectively work both independently and as part of a team. Applicants with prior research experience (including volunteer experience) and a minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0. are strongly encouraged to apply.

These positions are funded by the US National Institutes of Health, which has the following eligibility requirements for participation with the PREP program. Please ensure your application addresses how you meet each of the requirements.

• Participants must possess a B.S. or B.A. degree (or an equivalent foreign degree) in a field related to biomedical sciences, awarded no more than three years/36 months* prior to applying.
• Participants must hold citizen, noncitizen national, or permanent resident status in the United States.
• Participants must intend to apply to a research-focused biomedical Ph.D. degree program during or immediately following completion of the PREP program.
• Participants must be a member of a group underrepresented in biomedical research as defined by the NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences (e.g., African American, Latino, Native American, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; individuals with disabilities; or individuals from underserved backgrounds).
  
  

*Parental, medical, or other well-justified leave for personal or family situations is not included in the 3-year eligibility limit, nor is national service (e.g., Peace Corps, or service in the National Guard or Armed Forces Reserves).

The hiring unit will not sponsor employment-eligible immigration statuses for this position.

B.S. or B.A. degree (or an equivalent foreign degree) in a field related to biomedical sciences, awarded no more than 36 months prior to applying to the UCSC PREP. It is anticipated that the degree will be completed no later than September 30, 2025.

• 2 letters of reference required

Applications must include confidential letters of recommendation*. Note that your references, or dossier service, will submit their confidential letters directly to the UC Recruit System.

References should highlight the applicant's potential for contributing to biomedical-related sciences, the applicant's academic/professional potential, and how the applicant will benefit from participating in the NIH-PREP program.

*All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. For any reference letter provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service, career center), direct the author to UCSC's confidentiality statement at http://apo.ucsc.edu/confstm.htm.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status. UC Santa Cruz is committed to excellence through diversity and strives to establish a climate that welcomes, celebrates, and promotes respect for the contributions of all students and employees. Inquiries regarding the University's equal employment opportunity policies may be directed to the Equity and Equal Protection Office at the University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064 or by email at equity@ucsc.edu.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
  
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• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment
  

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Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UCSC positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. The university sponsors employment-based visas for nonresidents who are offered academic appointments at UC Santa Cruz, as outlined in campus policy CAPM 102.530.

UCSC is a smoke & tobacco-free campus.

If you need accommodation due to a disability, please contact Disability Management Services at roberts@ucsc.edu (831) 459-4602.

UCSC is committed to addressing the spousal and partner employment needs of our candidates and employees. As part of this commitment, our institution is a member of the Northern California Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (NorCal HERC). Visit the NorCal HERC website to search for open positions within a commutable distance of our institution.

The University of California offers a competitive benefits package and a number of programs to support employee work/life balance.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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