Postdoctoral Scholar

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the term length discussed will be based on university need, performance, and/or availability of funding.

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Pennsylvania State University Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scholar to conduct research on plant viruses, mycoviruses, and virome dynamics in agricultural and forest ecosystems. The successful candidate will develop and apply molecular, genomic, and computational approaches to investigate virus epidemiology, emergence, and host–pathogen ecological interactions using high-throughput sequencing and Nanopore-based diagnostic technologies. Research activities will include virus detection, indexing, characterization, and ecological analyses across plant and fungal systems.

Applicants are required to have a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate in plant pathology, microbiology, microbial ecology, plant sciences, or a related field, and be able to provide evidence that all requirements have been met for completion of the Ph.D. prior to the effective date of hire.
Applicants should have virology and bioinformatics experience with the terminal and R; experience with other languages is a plus. Applicants should possess excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication (both oral and written) skills. A desire to participate in Penn State Virology and One Health Microbiome Center activities, as well as to provide outreach to groups underrepresented in STEM fields and other stakeholders, will be viewed positively.

The Postdoctoral Scholar will work within collaborative, transdisciplinary research teams and contribute to integrating molecular biology, bioinformatics, and ecological approaches to address emerging challenges in plant and fungal health. Additional responsibilities include mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, contributing to manuscript preparation, and supporting the development of competitive grant proposals.

This position is ideal for candidates interested in developing expertise at the intersection of viral genomics, bioinformatics, and disease ecology within a highly collaborative research environment.

Interested candidates should upload the following application materials: a cover letter describing research interests and experience, a curriculum vitae, a list of relevant publications, and three professional references with contact information. For questions regarding the position, please contact Assistant Professor Ricardo I. Alcalá Briseño at [email protected].

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

BENEFITS

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.

For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

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