Research Associate in Biology

UVA Health • Charlottesville, VA

87d • Onsite

About The Position

The Fins and Limbs Lab at the University of Virginia is seeking a broadly trained and reliable postdoctoral research associate to lead interdisciplinary research on the functional morphology and comparative biomechanics of fishes and salamanders under the supervision of Dr. Sandy Kawano. The candidate will lead projects and train students on a collaborative research grant awarded by the Keck Foundation on “Integrating 3D technology, engineering, and biology to provide new insights into the evolutionary transition from water to land in vertebrates”, with the goal of disentangling the roles of environment (aquatic, amphibious, terrestrial) and morphology (fin vs. limb) in governing the ability of bones to adapt to the physical demands of locomotion.
The postdoctoral research associate will work with a collaborative team to examine the relationship between the structure and function of tissues (e.g., bones) and whole-organism performance (e.g., locomotion) by integrating techniques from functional morphology, comparative biomechanics, materials science and engineering, and evolutionary biology. Specifically, the postdoctoral research associate will collect kinematic, kinetic, and electromyographic data to compare patterns of bone loading in fish fins during walking-like behaviors and then apply similar loads to dissected bones on a universal testing machine to quantify their mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness). Consequently, the postdoctoral associate should have prior experience with collecting kinematic data from live vertebrate animals in laboratory conditions and working with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Additional experience with 3D kinetics, DeepLabCut, geometric morphometrics, electromyography, and/or mechanical testing is desirable but not required. A record of publishing relevant work in peer-reviewed journals and communicating the results at national and international conferences is strongly recommended. Candidates with a genuine passion for mentoring and interest in mentoring undergraduates through the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program at Mountain Lake Biological Station (https://mlbs.virginia.edu/reuprogram), are particularly encouraged to apply.
This is a full-time position with a comprehensive benefits package that is based in the Department of Biology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA. It will initially be a one-year term but may be extended to a second year contingent upon completion of satisfactory progress and available funding. Funding is available to present at professional conferences. The University of Virginia has a Postdoctoral Affairs program (https://postdoc.virginia.edu/) to build community among postdocs and advance their professional development.
The official start date is tentatively August 1, 2026, but negotiable. Questions about the job position may be directed to Dr. Sandy Kawano at [email protected].

Requirements

• A Ph.D. in biology, engineering, zoology, or a related field must be conferred before the official start date.

Nice To Haves

• Conceptual and procedural knowledge in functional morphology, comparative biomechanics, animal behavior, ichthyology, zoology, paleontology, and/or materials science and engineering.
• Expertise in the care and use of fishes and/or amphibians in research environments.
• Experience with mentoring students.
• Demonstrated record of publishing research relevant to the position in high-quality peer-reviewed research journals.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively in written and verbal formats.
• Effective organizational and time management skills.
• Proficiency in working independently and as a member of a collaborative team.
• Experience in writing and/or carrying out protocols approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.
• Intermediate or advanced experience with computer programming (particularly R, Python, and/or LabVIEW).
• Experience in other skills aligned with the grant research, such as DICECT, (micro-)CT segmentation software, muscle physiology, etc.
• Prior experience with collecting kinematic data from live vertebrate animals in laboratory conditions.
• Prior experience working with the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC).
• Experience with 3D kinetics.
• Experience with DeepLabCut.
• Experience with geometric morphometrics.
• Experience with electromyography.
• Experience with mechanical testing.
• A record of publishing relevant work in peer-reviewed journals.
• Communicating the results at national and international conferences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and execution of laboratory experiments/analyses directly related to the position.
• Write and submit manuscripts from the grant to peer-reviewed journals.
• Disseminate results derived directly from the grant through presentations at professional conferences.
• Mentor and train undergraduate research assistants.
• Assist in maintaining the animal care facility and supervising research assistants
• Process and analyze micro-CT scans.
• Develop computer code (e.g., R, LabVIEW) as needed for research projects.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records of data and metadata.
• Assist the supervisor in preparing, editing, and executing standard operating procedures for common laboratory techniques.
• Other related duties may also be assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package
• Funding is available to present at professional conferences
• Postdoctoral Affairs program to build community among postdocs and advance their professional development

What This Job Offers

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