Postdoctoral Scholar Researcher Position in Evolutionary Ecology of Plant-Pollinator Interactions

The Pennsylvania State University

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Penn State University Park Until 8/22/2026 H-1B sponsor history First posted March 26, 2025 Last posted March 4, 2026
Job description

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

  • CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

A postdoctoral position is available in the López-Uribe lab (www.lopezuribelab.com) at The Pennsylvani State University to work on an NSF-funded project investigating the impacts of crop domestication on floral traits and pollinator behavior. The person in this position will be in charge of setting up and overseeing experiments in the greenhouse and field, as well as manipulating insects in enclosures. The postdoc is expected to complete the work and disseminate results via peer-reviewed publications within the timeframe of the position. There will also be opportunities to be involved in outreach and extension work transferring research outputs from this project to crop breeders and the general public.
The successful candidate will work on a variety of research activities including growing plants in the greenhouse, making pollinator observations, and quantifying floral traits (morphology, volatiles, pollen, nectar). Data analysis skills include knowledge of quantitative genetics, linear models, and multivariate statistics. The candidate should demonstrate a proven record of effectively working in teams and mentoring students. Abilities with bioinformatic analysis is desirable but not required.
Qualified candidates are required to have a Ph.D. in entomology, ecology, evolutionary biology, or related fields of study. The successful candidate must have completed all PhD degree requirements by the appointment date. The applicant must have strong quantitative skills and experience analyzing large datasets. A strong publication record and organizational and communication skills are also required. The person in this position will be involved in grant writing, mentoring graduate and undergraduate students, and outreach/extension activities. This position will be located at Penn State in University Park, PA (Penn State's main campus).
This is a full-time postdoctoral researcher position with an annual salary of $61,000. This is a term position funded for one year from date of hire with a good possibility of re-funding beyond the first year for up to an additional year contingent upon job performance. Interested applicants should submit the following documents:
(1) a brief statement (up to 2 pages) describing relevant previous research experience and interests in working in the lab and as part of this project. Please address point-by-point how your previous experience relates to the responsibilities detailed in the job description.
(2) curriculum vitae (include experience in both research and outreach/extension)
(3) contact information for three references willing to provide letters of recommendation.
Please send any questions regarding the position to Margarita López-Uribe (mml64@psu.edu) with the subject line: “Postdoctoral Position in Evolutionary Ecology”. This position will be open until a suitable candidate is found in the applicant pool.
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About this role

Summary

Conduct research on crop domestication impacts on floral traits and pollinator behavior.

Job title

Postdoctoral Scholar Researcher Position in Evolutionary Ecology of Plant-Pollinator Interactions

Experience level

Ph.D. required

Industry

education

Location requirements

Located at Penn State University Park, no remote work allowed.

Salary

$61,000

Visa sponsorship

H-1B sponsor history

Management role

No

Skills & keywords

Required skills

Ph.D.quantitative skillsdata analysispublication recordcommunication

Preferred skills

bioinformatic analysismentoring

Specializations

evolutionary ecologypollinator interactionsquantitative geneticsdata analysisoutreach
Locations

Structured locations inferred from the posting.

University Park, State College, PA, USA

On-site City
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