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Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi

Department

College of Science - Life Sciences

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Corpus Christi, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

TAMU-CC is a dynamic university designated as both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and Minority-Serving Institution (MSI) with approximately 11,000 students from 47 states and 54 foreign nations. We employ over 1,400 full-time and 2,000 part-time Islanders (including students/GAs). The University attracts highly talented faculty and staff and offers an array of undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral programs. As a member of the Texas A&M University System, TAMU-CC benefits from a range of resources, increased visibility and influence, and opportunities to collaborate in mutually beneficial ways with peers across member institutions and associated agencies.

TAMU-CC’s beautiful campus is located on a 240-acre island on Corpus Christi Bay and was ranked #1 College by the Sea by Best College Reviews. Our natural setting is enhanced by its modern, attractive, and state-of-the-art classroom buildings and support facilities.

Learn more information here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwQR4HbGJu0) !

PURPOSE

A two-year competitively funded postdoc position is available in Candice Lumibao’s Plant, Microbe and Global Change laboratory at Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC), in collaboration with University of South Alabama (Jeremiah Henning; http://www.jeremiahahenning.com/) and St. Mary’s College of Maryland (Lorena Torres Martinez; https://ltorresmartinez.com/). We seek a dynamic and collaborative colleague with extensive experience with plant genomics, plant-microbe interactions, greenhouse work and/or bioinformatics, as well as some experience in microbial work and fieldwork in coastal marshes. Fieldwork will primarily be focused on collecting environmental data including Spartina plant tissues and rhizosphere soils as well as measuring other environmental variables such as pH, salinity, soil nutrients along the bays of south Texas. Genomics work will include characterizing genomic variations in host plant and levels of endosymbiont colonization along an ecological gradient.

The postdoc is expected to work closely with collaborators from University of South Alabama and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. There is also an opportunity to use the data collected to develop independent lab-based project(s) aligned with the postdoc’s research interests and expertise. TAMU-CC facilities include a genomics core lab and High Performance Computing (HPC) facility. The postdoc will also help generate, organize, analyze, and disseminate various types of datasets, mentor and train university students, and assist with community outreach projects. For more information about Lumibao lab or the Department of Life Sciences, visit https://candicelumibaolab.com/ (https://candicelumibao.com/) , https://www.tamucc.edu/science/departments/life-sciences/. (https://www.tamucc.edu/science/departments/life-sciences/.%20) The position is expected to transition to St. Mary’s College of Maryland in Year 3 of the project. Review will start by October 1, 2025. The expected start date is January 1, 2026 but can be negotiable.

DESCRIPTION

Functional Area 1: Fieldwork

Percent Effort: 25%

+ Logistical planning for data collection

+ Collecting samples, including plant roots, leaves and soil samples from field sites

Functional Area 2: Research/Lab Work

Percent Effort: 65%

+ Molecular and genomic work

+ Data organization and management

+ Data analyses

+ Data dissemination including write-up of reports and conference presentations

Functional Area 3: Service

Percent Effort: 10%

+ Student mentorship and training (K-12 and undergraduate)

+ Data analyses and dissemination of community outreach initiatives

QUALIFICATIONS

+ PhD in Biology, Ecology, Plant Science or related discipline (degree obtained prior to start date)

+ Experience in plant genomics, greenhouse experimentation and bioinformatics

+ Experience in fieldwork or collecting data from field sites

+ Strong evidence of scholarly accomplishments (peer-reviewed journal publications, grants)

+ Excellent written and verbal communication, and ability to work successfully in a collaborative environment demonstrated by prior experience

+ Excellent teamwork, leadership, and organizational skills

+ Previous mentorship experience

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

+ Programming/statistical experience using R

+ Experience in plant-microbe interactions or fungal/microbial work

+ Fieldwork experience in coastal marshes

SALARY Up to $4,250 Monthly

+ Up to $51,000 Annually Approximately

BENEFITS (rules, policies, eligibility apply)

From our generous benefits package (https://www.tamucc.edu/human-resources/benefits/index.php) and professional development opportunities, to our retirement programs and our commitment to service excellence, the Island University is an engaging and rewarding place to work.

INSURANCE: (https://assets.system.tamus.edu/files/benefits/website/BenefitsGuide.pdf)

+ Medical

+ $0 - $30 per month for Employee Only coverage after university contribution ($920 value).

+ Up to 83% of premium covered by the university:

+ Employee and Spouse

+ Employee and Children

+ Employee and Family coverage

+ Dental & Vision

+ Life Insurance, Accidental D&D, Long Term Disability, Flexible Spending Account and Day Care Spending Account

DUAL CAREER PARTNER PROGRAM (https://www.tamucc.edu/human-resources/careers/dual-career-partner/index.php)

ON-CAMPUS WELLNESS OPPORTUNITIES

Work Life Solutions: (https://www.tamucc.edu/human-resources/benefits/eap.php)

+ Counseling, Work Life Assistance, Financial Resources, and Legal Resources

Tuition Benefits: (https://www.tamucc.edu/human-resources/benefits/tuition/index.php)

+ Public Loan Forgiveness

+ Book scholarships

+ 100% tuition coverage for up to 18 credit hours per fiscal year (other rules may apply).

Retirement (https://www.tamucc.edu/human-resources/benefits/retirement-programs.php) :

+ Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) or Optional Retirement Plan (ORP)

+ Voluntary Tax Deferred Account/Deferred Compensation Plan

Time Off (https://www.tamucc.edu/human-resources/time-off/index.php) :

+ 8+ hours of vacation paid time off every month.

+ 8 hours of sick leave time off every month.

+ 8 hours of paid time off for Birthday leave.

+ 12-15 paid holidays each year.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.