"Post-Doctoral Associate"

About the Job

Our Mission: To inspire and create solutions for biological conservation and management in a diverse and changing world.

Our Vision: A department that is an inclusive community creating, discovering, and sharing conservation knowledge; A diverse natural world based on evolving knowledge, sustainable use, and equitable practices.

Our Values: Teaching and mentoring to build desired future capacity and outcomes; Conserving biodiversity for people and nature; Instilling diversity, equity, justice, inclusion, and access through conservation action; Developing meaningful solutions for contemporary problems; Advancing scientific knowledge through rigorous research.

Job Duties/About the Job:

The Milstein-Shaffer Lab in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology is recruiting a postdoctoral research associate to join a team studying zoonotic disease transmission and wildlife health. This research is in partnership with the Waiwai, an Indigenous community who own and manage a remote protected area called the Konashen Amerindian Protected Area (KAPA) in Guyana, South America. The team will work collaboratively to identify One Health research projects that meet the priorities of the Waiwai Village Council and Waiwai Natural Resources office, including but not limited to: 1) Leading the team in developing a wildlife health genomics lab at the University of Minnesota and a sister field-based wildlife health genomics lab in the KAPA, 2) integrating wildlife/aquatic disease monitoring with current long-term animal and ecological data collection efforts, 3) conducting laboratory and field based zoonotic disease research (e.g., molecular biology, parasitology, histopathology, etc.) studying mosquito-borne disease as well as pathogen transmission from the hunting, butchery and consumption of wild meat.

Responsibilities will include:

• Leading hypothesis-driven molecular biology research studying wildlife (as well as aquatic) disease transmission at the intersection of human, animal and environmental health (50%). This responsibility includes all aspects of the research process, co-developed between the UMN team and Waiwai community partners (throughout all steps of the research project including: development of research questions, data collection, data analysis and visualizations, publishing manuscripts, and presenting results).
• Collaborating with all team members on this and other projects (20%), including manuscript and grant writing, analytical support, and student mentoring to support lab activities. Since this position will serve as a foundational component to the newly established Milstein-Shaffer Lab (Spring 2026), an important part of the job will be in helping to prepare proposals to provide additional opportunities for research.
• Helping in development of a UMN and KAPA wildlife health genomics lab designed for both parasitological and molecular research (20%). For the UMN laboratory, this effort will also include working closely with members from other laboratories in the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, as the new lab space will be a shared space. For the KAPA laboratory, this effort will include working closely with Waiwai parabiologists in training in field collection and genomic techniques, as well as collaborating and coordinating with researchers from the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago, IL).
• Participating in project coordination and communication with the project team (10%). This will include meetings to design research, provide research updates, develop protocols, and communicate findings.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications: The successful candidate must have (by the position start date) a PhD in molecular biology, veterinary medicine, conservation sciences, or related field; a publication record that demonstrates molecular skills; an interest in the co-creation of science with Indigenous communities; the ability to work both independently and on a team; the ability to collaborate with colleagues from a variety of cultural and scientific backgrounds; interest in training undergraduate and graduate students in the field of molecular conservation biology. The position requires an individual who is comfortable working in remote field conditions.

Preferred Qualifications/Skills/Experience: A background in public health, anthropology, or similar fields; or interest in how social science research can inform studies in molecular biology. Experience working in sample curation. Experience working with Indigenous communities.

Pay and Benefits

Pay Range: $61,000 - $65,000; depending on education/qualifications/experience. Time Appointment Category: 75%-100% Appointment. Position Type: Faculty and P&A Staff. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off; Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program; Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans; Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts; University HSA contributions; Disability and employer-paid life insurance; Employee wellbeing program; Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution; Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity; Financial counseling services; Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost; Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area.

How To Apply

Please submit 1) CV with complete academic and research history; 2) Two representative peer-reviewed publications (electronic copies); 3) Contact information for three professional references. Deadline for applications: November 1, 2025. Early applications encouraged.