Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Position Title:

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Position Type:
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow

Application Review Begins:
Monday, October 19, 2026

Final date to receive applications:
Tuesday, December 01, 2026

Institution:
University of Tennessee

Department/Division:
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Field (e.g., systematics): anatomy, physiology, evolutionary biology

The Suissa lab in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the lab (). This 2-year, full-time position will focus on the hydraulics of seed-free plants, with an emphasis on mechanisms of drought tolerance. The successful candidate will take a leading role in advancing research on vulnerability to drought-induced embolism and vascular architecture in seed-free plants.

This work will integrate physiological and anatomical approaches to address fundamental questions in plant function and evolution. The fellow will be expected to drive projects toward publication, contribute to grant development, and actively engage with the broader EEB community.

Anticipated hiring range: $59,000 - $62,000

• PhD in plant anatomy, evolution, ecophysiology, botany, or related field.
• Strong background in anatomy, physiology, or hydraulics.
• Experience with estimating vulnerability to drought-induced embolism (preferred using the optical vulnerability method).
• Proficient in statistical analyses and data visualization, using R or a related language.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Experience gained from a PhD in the related fields is sufficient for the position.

• Lead research on vascular evolution in seed-free plants
• Conduct anatomical analyses on vascular structure.
• Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals.
• Present research at national and international conferences.
• Mentoring graduate and undergraduate students.