Postdoctoral Scholar

Postdoctoral Scholar-Fixed Term

The Wang Laboratory at Michigan State University is seeking a highly motivated and technically accomplished Postdoctoral Scholar to drive cutting-edge research in soybean genetics and genomics. The successful candidate will apply multi-omics approaches, causal variant discovery, and molecular breeding tools to advance understanding of seed compositional traits, yield, and host plant resistance in soybean. This is a full-time position embedded in one of the nation's premier soybean genetics programs, offering opportunities for collaborative research, grant co-development, and scientific leadership.

Job Responsibilities include, but not limited to:

Genomics & Multi-Omics Research

• Design and execute large-scale genomics studies using GWAS, QTL mapping, and pedigree-based analyses to identify causal variants underlying soybean seed quality, oil, protein, and yield traits
• Identify and characterize structural genomic variants — including large deletions, CNVs, and transposable element insertions — associated with target traits
• Integrate multi-omics data — including genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and metabolomics — to elucidate molecular mechanisms controlling agronomic traits
• Conduct population genetics analyses to identify breeding signatures and domestication events across diverse soybean germplasm

Molecular Breeding & Marker Development

• Develop and validate high-throughput molecular markers for use in marker-assisted selection and genotyping pipelines
• Collaborate with the breeding program to integrate research findings into selection tools for seed composition and disease resistance improvement

Bioinformatics & Data Analysis

• Develop and implement bioinformatics pipelines for processing and interpreting next-generation sequencing datasets
• Apply Python and R programming for statistical modeling, data visualization, and integration of large-scale genomics datasets
• Participate in the design of strategic data acquisition plans to support ongoing and future research programs

Collaboration, Dissemination & Funding

• Publish original research in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at national and international conferences
• Contribute to grant writing and proposal development in support of extramurally funded research programs
• Mentor graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in genomics methods and data analysis
• Collaborate with academic, public sector, and industry partners including commodity boards and federal agencies

A professional misconduct review is a prerequisite for a candidate to be selected for this position. Applicants will be asked to disclose whether they are subject to any pending investigation, findings or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Professional misconduct includes misconduct related to a person's employment, including, but not limited to, theft, embezzlement, research integrity, discrimination, or harassment under civil rights laws and policies, including protected identity harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct (sexual assault, sexual exploitation, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, etc.),

and retaliation. All applicants will be asked to sign an authorization and release, which authorizes the University to contact the candidate's current and former employers, for a period of 7 years prior to the date of application, related to any pending investigations, findings of responsibility and/or sanctions related to professional misconduct. Nothing will be sent to current or former employers unless the candidate reaches the semi-finalist stage.

The existence of professional misconduct history does not automatically exclude a candidate from employment. The University will assess the history, including any information provided by the candidate, in determining whether it is compatible with the position. The University may decline to hire a candidate based on the professional misconduct review. All records obtained from external employers will be kept in a secure location, separate from personnel files.

If an applicant fails to sign the authorization and release, the application will be deemed incomplete and will be…