Postdoctoral Fellow in the Dept of Environmental & Occupational Health

Position Summary

A postdoctoral fellow position is available in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, under the direction of Dr. Drew Capone. This is a USDA grant-funded position. Three years of funding are available, and the position is potentially renewable after the first year depending on performance and funding availability. The position includes benefits (e.g., retirement contribution and health insurance). Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, but applications received by July 1, 2026 will be given full consideration, and the search will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. The earliest anticipated start date is August 1, 2026.

The post doc will join a multi-disciplinary team in Bloomington, Indiana, of microbiologists, virologists, environmental engineers, entomologists, biologists, and epidemiologists to work on a unique set of projects. The primary focus will be conducting environmental surveillance of surface water and blow flies for avian influenza in Indiana. Responsibilities will include field work to collect environmental samples, laboratory analysis using culture dependent and independent approaches, data management, and data analysis. Additional opportunities may include work on the Capone Lab's other domestic and international projects.

Basic Qualifications

The postdoctoral fellow position requires a PhD in environmental health, environmental engineering, environmental science, microbiology, or a related scientific field by the time of appointment. We are looking for candidates with:

• Experience with molecular microbiology methods (e.g., nucleic acid extraction, qPCR, dPCR) and quantitative data analysis
• Experience with metagenomic sequencing and bioinformatics
• Fieldwork experience, including environmental sampling
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• An interest in mentoring undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. students

Additional Qualifications

The successful applicant will be expected to lead studies, mentor students, and generate new knowledge that is congruent with the overall goals of the laboratory. This includes designing experiments, analyzing data, and generating peer-reviewed publications.