Postdoctoral Associate

Position Description

Academic Job
Description

Plant
Biology Section-SIPS

Postdoctoral
Associate

The College of
Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and
Cornell University’s second largest college. We work across disciplines to
tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education,
and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three
overlapping concerns: We believe that achieving next-generation scientific
breakthroughs requires an understanding of the world’s complex, interlocking
systems. We believe that access to nutritious food and a healthy environment is
a fundamental human right. We believe that ensuring a prosperous global future
depends on the ability to support local people and communities everywhere. By
working in and across multiple scientific areas, CALS can address challenges
and opportunities of the greatest relevance, here in New York, across the
nation, and around the world.

The CALS School
of Integrative of Plant Science (SIPS) encompasses five fields: Horticulture,
Plant Biology, Plant Breeding & Genetics, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe
Biology, and Soil and Crop Sciences. Combined there are 100+ faculty, ~200
undergraduate majors, 200+ graduate students in six fields, and 600+ other
employees located in Ithaca, Geneva, and other satellite locations across New
York State. The School offers the multidisciplinary undergraduate major in the
Plant Sciences and is also home to the Agricultural Sciences major. School faculty
also contribute to the Biology, Global Development, and Viticulture &
Enology majors.

Position Function

The Postdoctoral Associate will be supervised
by Dr. Gaurav Moghe and will also collaborate with Dr. Anurag Agrawal. The labs
are affiliated with Cornell's School of Integrative Plant Science and
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, which together offer one of the
richest chemical ecology and plant biochemistry communities in the country. Together,
the two labs provide a unique combination: deep expertise in molecular and
computational biochemistry (Moghe Lab; https://www.moghelab.org) paired with
field-tested ecological and evolutionary chemistry (Agrawal Lab; https://agrawal.eeb.cornell.edu).

This position requires a recent PhD graduate
with expertise in natural products chemistry, analytical chemistry, or plant
biochemistry. The Postdoctoral Associate will primarily generate and analyze
inhouse and public LC-MS metabolomics data to characterize specialized plant
metabolites using workflows such as MZmine for feature detection and
annotation, and will perform compound extraction, fractionation, and relevant
bioassays. Work will span multiple plant systems relevant to the two labs,
including morning glories, milkweed, fungi and other Cornell-associated model
and non-model species. The candidate must be proficient in UHPLC-MS/MS
operation and downstream data analysis, and comfortable running established
metabolomics data-processing workflows end-to-end, preferably using programming
tools. Expertise in molecular biochemistry techniques such as cloning, genetic
transformation, protein purification will be highly preferred.

This is an in-person position. The successful
candidate will be expected to relocate within commuting distance of Ithaca, NY.

Anticipated Division of Time

80%: Experimental and analytical research as
described above

10%: Manuscript preparation, presentations

10%: Mentoring and professional development

Requirements

• PhD in Biochemistry, Chemistry,

Plant Biology, or a related field.

Required skills:

• Hands-on expertise in LC-MS

(operation, method development, and data analysis)

• Experience with metabolomics

data-processing workflows (e.g., MZmine, GNPS and comparable platforms)

• Compound extraction and

purification via flash chromatography

• Molecular biology techniques

(cloning, plant transformation, etc.)

• Enzyme assays and protein

biochemistry

• Excellent written and verbal

communication skills

• Evidence of performing high-quality

research independently and as part of a team

Preferred skills:

• Ability to write and run Python

scripts for data processing and analysis

• Interest in extending existing

workflows into more automated or AI-assisted ("agentic") data
pipelines

Supervision Exercised

The Postdoctoral
Associate will mentor and provide oversight to students as needed. There are no
supervisory responsibilities for this position.

To apply:

Please apply via Academic Jobs Online (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/33087">https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/33087).

Qualified candidates should submit a short cover letter, curriculum vitae, and
contact information for three references via the website.

Consistent with
Cornell’s practice, appointments to academic positions require candidates to
disclose relevant information about their prior employment including whether
they have been found to have violated institutional or employer policies
related to or governing unlawful discrimination and harassment, academic and
research misconduct, or financial misconduct.

Applications will be reviewed as received,
continuing until a suitable applicant is identified.

CALS
hiring range for this title is $63,480 to $65,000 annually.

College
of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Life.
Changing.

Cornell
University is an innovative Ivy League and Land-grant
university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars,
students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute
creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and
engagement.

Cornell’s
regional and global presence includes state-wide Cornell Cooperative Extension
programs and offices in all counties and boroughs, global partnerships with
institutions and communities engaged in life-changing research and education,
the medical college’s campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha,
Qatar, and the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York
City.

With a founding principle of “any person, any study,” Cornell is
an equal
opportunity employer.

Employment Assistance:

For specific questions about the position or application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or for general questions email mycareer@cornell.edu.

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at accommodations@cornell.edu.

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor.

Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRRA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

Pay Ranges:

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience.
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.
• Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)
• Unique applicable skills.