"Postdoctoral Scholar"

Postdoctoral Scholar

Position Number: PDS-Pharm-03-26
Full Time or Part Time: Full Time
Anticipated Recruitment Range: $62,232 - $65,640
Position Type: Postdoctoral Scholars
Job Category: Postdoctoral Scholars

Organizational Unit Overview:

Job Duties:

The postdoctoral scholar is responsible for independent and collaborative development, implementation, and analysis of scientific research in the discipline of statistical genetics and computational genomics, with a focus on genomic discovery, high-dimensional modeling, and precision medicine approaches for primary open-angle glaucoma.

Responsibilities include management of all aspects of computational workflow development for genomic data, including genotype quality control, imputation, multi-cohort harmonization, fine-mapping, and polygenic risk score modeling for NIH-funded research projects, particularly R01EY033829 (Optimizing genetic risk models for primary open-angle glaucoma through expanded population genomic analysis).

Duties include: hypothesis development, literature review, collection of pilot data, report writing, and supervising of undergraduate research students and graduate research students, overseeing data collection procedures, supervising experimental procedures, review of data for quality control, supervision of data entry/data analysis, analysis of research hypothesis using descriptive and multivariate statistics, and the development of independent and collaborative presentations and publications. Additional duties include collaboration with multi-institutional partners, troubleshooting genomic datasets, maintaining reproducible code repositories, and contributing to scientific manuscripts and grant applications. Scholars are expected to demonstrate compliance with established guidelines and regulatory standards for research, including biosafety, responsible conduct of research, and human subjects training.

Approximately 80% of the postdoctoral scholars time will be devoted to research and scholarly activity, including: 50% computational genomics and statistical genetics research activities (e.g., genotype quality control, imputation, multi-cohort harmonization, fine-mapping, ancestry modeling, and polygenic risk score development for NIH-funded projects); 15% development and maintenance of reproducible computational workflows, code repositories, and data pipelines supporting large-scale genomic analyses; 15% dissemination of research findings, including manuscript preparation, conference presentations, and contributions to grant applications.

Approximately 20% of the postdoctoral scholars time will be devoted to research training and supervision, including: (1) mentoring and supervising undergraduate and graduate research students; (2) providing technical guidance on data analysis and computational workflows; and (3) supporting collaborative research activities within the laboratory and with multi-institutional partners.

Minimum Education/Experience:

PhD, MD or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant field
Excellent written and oral communication skills
English Proficiency

License or Certification Required by Statute or Regulation:

None

Preferred Experience, Skills, Training/Education:

• PhD in Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Biostatistics, Data Science, Computer Science, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, or a closely related field.
• Experience with computational modeling, statistical programming (Python, R, MATLAB), or machine learning.
• Experience working with large datasets, high-dimensional modeling, or cloud/high-performance computing
• Experience (training acceptable) with one or more of the following:
  • Genome-wide association studies (GWAS)
  • Genotype imputation
  • Fine-mapping
  • Ancestry modeling
  • Workflow development tools (Snakemake, Nextflow, WDL)
  • Multi-cohort data harmonization
• Interest in genomic discovery, vision science, health disparities research, or precision medicine.

Special Instructions to Applicant:

To be considered for this position, all applicants must apply through PeopleAdmin and attach their CV or resume, cover letter, and names and contact information of 3 references. Appointments are typically for a one-year period. Five years (typically five appointments of one year) is typically the maximum total period that any individual may serve as a Scholar.

The University, in its sole discretion, has the option to renew or extend any appointment, subject to the availability of funds, past performance evaluations, and/or any other lawful reasons. For other information on the ECU Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, please visit our website at: https://rede.ecu.edu/postdoctoral/

Additional Instructions to Applicant:

In order to be considered for this position, applicants must complete a candidate profile online via the PeopleAdmin system and submit any requested documents. Additionally, applicants that possess the preferred education and experience must also possess the minimum education/experience, if applicable.

Job Close Date:
Open Until Filled: Yes
Initial Screening Begins: 03/12/2026