Postdoctoral Scholar-Fixed Term

MSU Careers Details • East Lansing, MI

5d

About The Position

The postdoctoral associate will join a collaborative research program investigating the molecular, biochemical, and physiological bases of avian plumage coloration. Bright plumage colors are among the most striking features of birds and often play important roles in mate choice, competition, and social signaling by conveying information about an individual’s condition. Yet the mechanisms linking ornament expression to physiology and condition remain incompletely understood. The Toomey Lab works to decipher these connections by combining molecular biology, biochemistry, pigment analysis, functional assays, genomics, and comparative and organismal approaches.

Requirements

• A Ph.D. in biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, evolutionary biology, physiology, genomics, ecology, or a closely related field, completed by the start date.
• Applicants who have not yet defended must document an expected defense date on the curriculum vitae.
• Documented research productivity, evidenced by at least one first-author peer-reviewed publication, preprint, or manuscript submitted for review, listed on the curriculum vitae.
• Documented experience designing, conducting, and interpreting laboratory- or field-based research, described in the cover letter and evidenced by the research record on the curriculum vitae.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate scientific work in written and spoken English, evidenced by the cover letter, publication record, and presentation history.

Nice To Haves

• A Ph.D. in biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, evolutionary biology, physiology, genomics, ecology, or a closely related field, completed by the start date.
• Applicants who have not yet defended must document an expected defense date on the curriculum vitae.
• Documented research productivity, evidenced by at least one first-author peer-reviewed publication, preprint, or manuscript submitted for review, listed on the curriculum vitae.
• Documented experience designing, conducting, and interpreting laboratory- or field-based research, described in the cover letter and evidenced by the research record on the curriculum vitae.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate scientific work in written and spoken English, evidenced by the cover letter, publication record, and presentation history.

Responsibilities

• Design, execute, troubleshoot, and interpret experiments on pigment-metabolism pathways using biochemical and molecular approaches.
• Conduct heterologous expression and functional characterization of candidate genes.
• Perform pigment extraction and analysis using chromatography.
• Develop, optimize, and document new experimental assays.
• Carry out comparative genomic and/or transcriptomic analyses.
• Characterize gene expression and protein localization.
• Integrate molecular and biochemical findings with organismal and evolutionary questions.
• Lead the analysis, writing, and submission of manuscripts arising from the funded project, and present findings at national and international meetings.
• Mentor undergraduate researchers and collaborate with graduate students, staff, and collaborators at MSU and partner institutions.
• Contribute to laboratory operations, including safety and regulatory compliance, protocol documentation, reagent and equipment management, and data stewardship.
• Develop complementary independent research directions and contribute to grant and fellowship proposals.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree