Research Assistant Professor - Department of Biology

West Virginia University•West Virginia, WV

16h•Onsite

About The Position

The Department of Biology at West Virginia University (WVU) invites applications for a Research Assistant Professor in environmental microbiology and plant–microbe interactions. This is a full-time, 9-month, grant-funded, non–tenure-track research faculty appointment with full benefits. Continuation beyond the initial 9-month term is contingent upon satisfactory performance and the continued availability of grant funding. The Department of Biology is home to over 40 graduate students in M.S. and Ph.D. programs with a strong record of students earning prestigious DOE, NIH, and NSF fellowships, a Genomics Core Facility with next-generation sequencing, and the Earl L. Core Arboretum. Faculty benefit from proximity to world-class field sites, including the Fernow Experimental Forest, the West Virginia University Forest, and the Summit Bechtel Reserve forest dynamics plot. The successful candidate is expected to develop an independent and collaborative research program investigating how microorganisms and their interactions with plants shape ecosystem function, carbon and nitrogen cycling, and plant productivity and resilience in agricultural and natural ecosystems. The position is supported initially through federal funding secured by faculty within the Biology Department and work will focus on using artificial intelligence to understand how environmental conditions and interspecies interactions influence microbial phenotypes. Successful applicants’ research is expected to apply cutting-edge molecular, biogeochemical, and computational approaches to address environmental and sustainability challenges.

Requirements

Ph.D. in biology, microbiology, environmental science, plant and soil sciences, ecology, or a closely related discipline (in hand by the start date).
Demonstrated ability to write grant proposals and to secure extramural funding.
Evidence of research in the area of environmental microbiology, microbial ecology, or plant–microbe interactions.
Demonstrated ability to perform microbiological and molecular laboratory techniques (e.g., DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, high-throughput sequencing) and analysis of the resulting data.
A record of peer-reviewed scholarly publications in environmental microbiology, plant microbe interactions, and soil biogeochemistry.
Demonstrated ability to analyze data and apply appropriate statistical methods.
Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively within a research team.
Demonstrated ability to culture nitrogen fixing bacteria and microbial consortia.
Ability to mentor graduate and undergraduate students.

Responsibilities

Leading and contributing to the development of competitive grant proposals.
Grant management and reporting.
Designing, directing, and conducting independent and collaborative field and laboratory research.
Performing and overseeing microbiological, molecular, and biogeochemical analyses (e.g., DNA/RNA extraction, PCR, high-throughput amplicon and metagenomic sequencing, and stable isotope probing, etc.).
Analyzing and interpreting complex datasets using statistical and bioinformatic methods.
Leading the writing of scientific manuscripts and presenting results at conferences.
Mentoring and training graduate and undergraduate researchers.
Contributing to the department, university, and broader scientific community through seminars, peer review, and professional service.