Stewart Postdoctoral Scholar - Mycology

Colorado State University • Fort Collins, CO

13d

About The Position

The Stewart Postdoctoral Scholar will perform bioinformatic analysis of fungal genomes and develop AI software. The role focuses on annotating and analyzing genomes generated through The Mycological Curriculum for Education and Discovery (MycoED), a program that scales fungal genomics research and training through partnerships with undergraduate- and graduate-level teaching laboratories.

The postdoctoral researcher will lead independent analysis of MycoED-generated data for first-author publications, develop AI and traditional tools to streamline student and faculty research, and support ongoing projects that contribute to multiple publications. The position is in Colorado State University's Department of Agricultural Biology, whose work includes research, teaching, extension, and service related to insects, plant pathogens, weeds, plant stress, integrated pest management, and ecosystem health.

Requirements

• PhD in Bioinformatics or a closely related field.
• Knowledge of data processing and coding languages, such as Python.
• Experience using and developing AI tools for biological research.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.
• Experience presenting research at scientific meetings and to collaborators.
• Previous experience generating reports, writing grants, and/or publishing manuscripts.
• Complete a pre-employment criminal background check.
• Have a valid driver's license by the employment start date.
• Be authorized to work in the United States by the employment start date.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with fungal genome annotation and/or fungal biology research.
• Experience with SQL and similar databases.
• Experience with teaching and/or preparing course materials.

Responsibilities

• Annotate fungal genomes and perform bioinformatic analyses, particularly to understand genotype-phenotype relationships.
• Construct and maintain advanced AI platforms for research and educational purposes.
• Support diverse MycoED student-driven genomics research projects.
• Develop and maintain data schemas, software, and bioinformatics workflows, using Python or other approaches, to facilitate fungal genomics research by students and scientists.
• Lead publication of results and tools in peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and present findings.
• Create instructional videos, including introductory materials, describing how to use fungal genomics data with existing MycoCosm tools and tools developed through this work.
• Develop web services to improve access to newly constructed tools, data, and MycoED resources.

Benefits

• Robust benefits package.
• Collaborative atmosphere.
• Focus on work-life balance.

What This Job Offers

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