Post-Doctoral Associate, JIFSAN​/Microbiome Center

Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) at the University of Maryland (UMD), in collaboration with the UMD Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences, invites applications for a postdoctoral research associate position in food safety microbiology and microbial genomics. We seek a highly motivated recent PhD graduate with expertise spanning both computational and experimental biology.

The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary research team led by Professors Mihai Pop (Department of Computer Science) and Jianghong Meng (Department of Nutrition and Food Science). The research program focuses on foodborne pathogens, microbial genomics, microbiome science, and AI-driven large-scale data analysis for food safety applications.

This position offers an outstanding opportunity to engage in cutting-edge, multidisciplinary research with strong relevance to both academia and industry. The successful candidate will work in a highly collaborative environment at the intersection of microbiology, genomics, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence, with opportunities for professional development, publication, and collaboration across multiple scientific disciplines.

The Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) was established between the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the University of Maryland (UMD) in April 1996. The Institute is a jointly administered, multidisciplinary research, education and outreach program. The Institute is the foundation of public and private partnerships that provides the scientific basis for ensuring a safe, wholesome food supply as well as the infrastructure for contributions to national food safety programs and international food standards.

The UMD Center of Excellence in Microbiome Sciences is an interdisciplinary research community that unites faculty and students across UMD colleges and schools to advance microbiome science through emerging technologies, data innovation, and evidence-based solutions that support human, animal, and environmental health.

• Conduct independent and collaborative research projects under general guidance while demonstrating the ability to design, execute, and troubleshoot experiments independently.
• Apply computational and experimental approaches to investigate foodborne pathogens and microbial genomics. Utilize AI and big data analysis tools for microbial genomics research and data interpretation.
• Develop and optimize scientific methodologies and analytical techniques relevant to the research objectives.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across microbiology, bioinformatics, and food safety research areas.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Present research findings at leading national and international scientific conferences.

• Education:
  
  Ph.D. degree in Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related field.
• Experience:
  
  Experience in computational biology, bioinformatics, genomics, or AI applications in biological research (1-3 years). Experimental laboratory experience in microbiology and/or molecular biology (1-3 years).
• Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
  Strong interest and background in microbial genomics and food safety microbiology. Demonstrated ability to work independently and think critically. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and scientific writing abilities. Excellent communication and teamwork skills.

• Experience working with microbial genome sequencing and comparative genomics (1-3 years).
• Familiarity with machine learning or AI applications for biological data analysis.
• Experience handling large-scale biological datasets and high-performance computing environments (1-3 years).

Physical demands include predominantly sedentary work, exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and repetitive motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers. The worker is required to have close visual acuity to perform activities such as preparing and analyzing data and figures, extensive reading, and using analytical instrumentation and computers in a laboratory environment.