Post-Doc Research Associate

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation's top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.

Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.

UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage, paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work/life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

The Department of Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill is dedicated to the discovery and dissemination of new and existing knowledge in the broad discipline of Biology by maintaining a high-quality faculty who integrate cutting-edge research and student-focused teaching.

We are one of the largest academic departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. We have over 2,800 majors and we enroll over 5,000 undergraduate students in our classes each year. Our average total annual expenditures exceed $24 million, with nearly half of that coming from grant sponsored research. The department is composed of 50 tenure-track faculty, 10 teaching faculty, 8 research faculty, and numerous active adjunct and emeritus faculty. We currently have 50 graduate students, 40 post-docs and employs approximately 60 additional graduate and undergraduate students from across the university to assist in our teaching and research missions. Our mission is supported by an administrative and technical staff of 20, with an additional 20 staff directly supporting research.

You can read about the Ben Parker lab and research at https://parkerlab.net.

The researcher will be primarily responsible for carrying out experiments and aims of a recently funded NIH award, using an insect model system (aphids) to address mechanistic and evolutionary genetic questions about animal-microbe interactions. The researcher will use molecular, genomic, and experimental techniques in their research.

The Post-Doc Research Associate will collect data, communicate with other investigators, write reports and manuscripts, and assist in advising and training of graduate and undergraduate research students.

The NIH award's funding is available for 5 years, but the initial appointment is for 12 months.

A PhD in ecology and evolution, microbiology, entomology, or a related field must be completed by the starting date of the position.

The candidate is expected to have experience with molecular biology and/or genomics.

Experience publishing peer-reviewed scientific papers focused on host-microbe interactions and evolution would be seen as a strong attribute.

N/A

Please include a cover letter, CV, and the names of two references with online application. Questions should be addressed to Benjamin Parker, Assistant Professor of Biology (bpar@unc.edu).

For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the University's Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at (919) 962-9982 or send an email to opahr@unc.edu.

Please note: The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.