Postdoctoral Scholar-Fixed Term East Lansing, Michigan, United States Plant Soil And Microbial Sciences 40000781
Area of Interest: Agriculture Area of Interest: Education/Training Area of Interest: Research/Scientific
Full Time/Part Time: Full Time (90-100%)
Group: Fixed Term Academic Staff: Union/Non-Union: Non-Union
Faculty/Academic Staff Opening on: Feb 23 2026 Closing at: Feb 23 2028 - 23:55 EST Salary Commensurate with Experience
College Of Agriculture And Nat Resources 1113858 Add to favorites View favorites
Position Summary Michigan State University's Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences seeks a highly motivated Post-doctoral Research Scholar to support a USDA-NIFA and MSU funded project investigating how crop bacteriomes determine plant growth traits, nitrogen fixation, and yield. This is a 12-month, full-time research appointment, renewable annually based on performance and funding.
Duties and Responsibilities The Postdoctoral Research Scholar will contribute to all major components of the funded projects, including but not limited to:
• Field and greenhouse research across diverse environments • Leadership in Lab, including personnel and equipment • Microbiome sequencing (16S/ITS), genomics, shotgun metagenomics, and transcriptomics • Multivariate and statistical modeling of bacteriome-trait relationships • Bacteriome GWAS • Manuscripts, presentations, and mentoring students • Coordinating sample processing of soil, leaf, stem nodule, seed, and root-zone microbiomes
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.
Required Degree Doctorate - Microbiology, microbial ecology, soil science, environmental science, plant biology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, or a related discipline
Minimum Requirements Ph.D. in microbiology, microbial ecology, soil science, environmental science, plant biology, molecular biology, bioinformatics, or a related discipline
Experience in microbiome sequencing or plant-microbe interaction
Evidence of hypothesis-driven research and peer-reviewed publication
Strong communication and organizational skills
Desired Qualifications Experience with multivariate ecological statistics or machine learning and GWA
Experience with Field research in agronomy or environmental microbiology
Experience with gnotobiotic or controlled inoculation experiments
Familiarity with Bradyrhizobium or Pseudomonas biology
Required Application Materials Cover Letter CV/Resume Name and contact information for 3 (Three) Professional References Brief Research Statement
Special Instructions Contact Dr. Mark Williams (markwill@msu.edu) for inquires on position.
Review of Applications Begins On 03/13/2026 Website https://www.canr.msu.edu/psm/
MSU Statement Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.