New

Postdoctoral Scholar in microbe interactions

The Pennsylvania State University
remote work
United States, Pennsylvania, University Park
201 Old Main (Show on map)
Apr 17, 2026
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. 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. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants. This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the termlengthdiscussed willbebasedonuniversityneed,performance,and/oravailabilityoffunding. POSITION SPECIFICS The Dini-Andreote Lab at Penn State is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar. The successful candidate will contribute to a USDA-funded project aimed at developing microbiome-informed strategies for the control of soilborne pathogens in agricultural systems. The complexity of soilborne disease suppression requires integrative approaches that span controlled experimentation, high-resolution molecular characterization, and computational analysis of microbial communities. The postdoctoral researcher will lead the design and implementation of experiments examining plant-soil-microbiome interactions under pathogen pressure, including the use of synthetic microbial communities, microbiome manipulation strategies, and stress-interaction frameworks. Specific responsibilities include: (i) developing and executing greenhouse and growth chamber experiments to evaluate microbiome-mediated suppression of soilborne pathogens; (ii) conducting molecular and bioinformatic analyses (e.g., amplicon and metagenomic sequencing) to identify microbial taxa and functions associated with disease suppression; (iii) integrating microbiome data with plant phenotypic and environmental variables to identify predictive indicators of pathogen control; and (iv) contributing to the development of mechanistic and translational frameworks that support the deployment of microbially based interventions in agricultural systems. The postdoctoral researcher will also play a critical role in ensuring data quality, reproducibility, and integration across experimental platforms, as well as contributing to manuscript preparation, stakeholder communication, and extension-oriented outputs. Given the interdisciplinary and data-intensive nature of the project, this position is essential for bridging experimental microbiology, ecological theory, and applied disease management, thereby enabling the development of scalable and actionable solutions for the sustainable control of soilborne pathogens. Qualifications and Requirements Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in molecular microbiology, ecology, plant pathology, or a closely related field, with demonstrated expertise in plant-microbe interactions, soil microbiome analysis, and quantitative data integration. The appointee must provide evidence of completion of all doctoral requirements prior to the effective date of hire. The postdoctoral scholar will have opportunities to mentor graduate and undergraduate students and will receive guidance in developing research proposals and publications. To apply, please submit an online application, a CV, and contact information for three references. The position will be based at Penn State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. BENEFITS Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. For more detailed information, please visit ourBenefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.) CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here. EEO IS THE LAW Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473. Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university's teaching, research, and service mission. 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