Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Department

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

• Texas A&M AgriLife Research

• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University

• Texas A&M Forest Service

• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

The Postdoctoral Research Associate is responsible for conducting collections-based research focused on Poaceae diversification and ecology.

Responsibilities:

• Conduct collections-based research focused on Poaceae diversification and ecology.

• Develop research questions and sampling designs using S.M. Tracy Herbarium collections and targeted field collections.

• Generate, manage, analyze, and synthesize genomic, phenomic/spectral, trait, spatial, environmental, and taxonomic data.

• Conduct phylogeographic, species delimitation, and evolutionary analyses.

• Prepare manuscripts, datasets, figures, reports, presentations, and grant materials.

• Maintain research records and reproducible workflows.

• Assist with preparation, organization, and cleaning of herbarium, laboratory, and field workspaces.

• May travel for fieldwork, herbarium visits, conferences, training, and collaborator meetings.

• May assist with workshops, outreach, technical reports, lab/herbarium coordination

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications: 

• PhD in botany, biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, plant systematics, plant biology, biodiversity science, or a related field by the start date.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Analytical skills.

• Attention to detail.

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

• Ability to organize specimens, data, analyses, and manuscripts.

• Ability to prepare research papers, reports, grant materials, and presentations.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• PhD with emphasis in plant systematics, evolutionary biology, phylogeography, population genomics, ecology, Poaceae, herbarium science, or a closely related field.

• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, analyze data, write scientifically, and work collaboratively.

• Experience with phylogenetics, morphometrics, comparative methods, herbarium collections, plant taxonomy, grasses/Poaceae, trait datasets, biodiversity informatics, R, Python, GitHub, fieldwork, laboratory workflows, or grant/manuscript development.

• Experience with R, Git/GitHub, phylogenomic or population genomic workflows, GIS/spatial analysis, herbarium curation, voucher collection, plant identification, spectral reflectance, trait modeling, biodiversity informatics, and/or grant writing.

• Ability to obtain a valid driver license preferred if fieldwork travel is required.

Other Requirements:

• May travel as required.

• May work after normal business hours or on weekends as required by fieldwork, research deadlines, or specimen care.

• Work may occur in herbarium, laboratory, office, greenhouse, and field settings.

• Must follow applicable Texas A&M University safety, data management, and collections policies.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Position Funding: This position is grant funded and availability is contingent on grant funding.  

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 

• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  

• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month

• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas  

• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application. 

Please attach cover letter, cv/resume, references & other documents.  Any questions, please contact Dr. Dawson White @ dawson.white@ag.tamu.edu

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.