Postdoctoral Associate: Plant Synthetic Biology and Natural Product Biosynthesis

Position Description

A postdoctoral research position is open in the laboratory of Dr. Sijin Li at the Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University.

Community

The Li Lab develops synthetic biology methods in planta. We focus on elucidating complex plant natural product biosynthetic pathways and on building genetic circuits in plants. Our work combines synthetic biology, molecular biology, plant biochemistry, metabolic engineering, and multi-omics across both yeast and plant platforms. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive environment where every lab member can thrive. We are a highly collaborative group and work closely with engineers and plant scientists to study complex plant metabolism with engineering approaches. Our projects are funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, and the NSF Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS: https://cropps.cornell.edu). The postdoctoral scholar will be encouraged to take part in cross-disciplinary research through these communities.

Position Overview

The postdoctoral scholar will design and lead independent, hypothesis-driven projects at the interface of synthetic biology and plant science. The position has two main directions:

1. Engineering crop plants. Develop and optimize methods to genetically engineer crops, such as tomato, soybean, and maize. This includes transformation and regeneration, genome editing, and deploying synthetic genetic circuits to program plant traits and metabolism.

2. Testing biochemical hypotheses in non-model plants. Develop fast, flexible methods, such as transient expression, virus-based tools, and gene silencing or editing, to test gene function and pathway hypotheses directly in non-model and rare plants.

Responsibilities

• Design and carry out independent research projects in one or both of the directions above.
• Build and test DNA constructs, genetic parts, and circuits for use in plants.
• Find and characterize biosynthetic genes and enzymes, combining omics data with in planta and heterologous validation.
• Analyze plant metabolites (e.g., LC-MS) to confirm pathway function and engineering outcomes.
• Work with engineers, plant scientists, and computational collaborators.
• Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present at local, national, and international conferences.
• Help mentor graduate and undergraduate students and contribute to a productive, supportive lab.
• Contribute to grant proposals and reports, with opportunities to build an independent research program.

Qualifications

Required:

• Ph.D. (or near completion) in plant biology, synthetic biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, chemical/biological engineering, or a related field.
• Strong molecular biology skills and a record of hypothesis-driven research.
• Evidence of productivity, such as first-author publications or manuscripts in preparation.
• Strong written and oral communication skills, and the ability to work both independently and in a team.

Preferred (expertise in one or more of the following):

• Crop transformation and regeneration (tomato, soybean, or maize).
• Plant genome editing (e.g., CRISPR/Cas systems) and construct design.
• Transient expression or other functional genomics tools in plants (e.g., Agrobacterium infiltration, VIGS, hairy roots), especially in non-model species.
• Plant specialized metabolism, enzyme biochemistry, or metabolomics (LC-MS/GC-MS).
• Genomics/transcriptomics analysis for gene discovery.

Training Opportunities

The postdoctoral scholar will receive hands-on training in yeast and plant synthetic biology in the Li Lab. This includes reconstructing pathways in yeast, designing genetic parts and circuits, and engineering in planta. Candidates are encouraged to identify skills they want to gain and will be supported in pursuing career development through Cornell's postdoctoral programs and collaborative networks.

Application

The position will stay open until filled. The start date is flexible, and Ph.D. students nearing graduation are encouraged to apply. Please send a single PDF to sijin.li@cornell.edu that includes:

• Cover letter
• A research statement (up to 2 pages) describing your research interests, the skills you bring, and the skills or training you hope to gain as a postdoctoral scholar.
• CV
• Contact information for three references.

We offer a competitive salary based on experience and skills, plus a generous benefits package. For full consideration, please apply by April 15, 2027.

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.

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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 unless otherwise noted)
• Unique applicable skills.