Huck Institutes Life Sciences NSF NCEMS Postdoctoral Scholar

Application Instructions

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student) – please log in to Workday to complete the internal application process. Do not apply here; apply internally through Workday.
• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not previously employed at the university) – please log in to Workday to complete the student application process. Do not apply here; apply internally through Workday.
• NOT a current employee or student – click “Apply” and complete the external application process.

The National Synthesis Center for Emergence in the Molecular and Cellular Sciences (NCEMS) at Penn State University (ncems.psu.edu) seeks an outstanding scientist for a Postdoctoral Scholar position in Machine Learning or Artificial Intelligence within the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences.

NCEMS is an NSF‑funded interdisciplinary research center at the interface of data science, molecular and cellular biology, and quantitative physical sciences. It leads the integration of diverse, publicly available datasets to gain insights into emergent phenomena in molecular and cellular biology.

The successful candidate will conduct original research applying machine learning, artificial intelligence, computer science, statistical learning, or related computational approaches to problems in molecular and cellular biology. Research may involve large‑scale public datasets, biological data harmonization, representation learning, predictive modeling, foundation models, network analysis, graph‑based learning, uncertainty quantification, scientific machine learning, or interpretable AI.

This full‑time, on‑site position is located at the Penn State University Park campus and does not permit remote work. It is a term appointment funded for one year from the date of hire, with an excellent chance for renewal based on mutual agreement.

• A PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, or a closely related field.
• Strong foundation in machine learning, artificial intelligence, statistical learning, scientific computing, or data science.
• Experience developing or implementing machine learning methods for large‑scale data analysis, predictive modeling, or biological discovery.
• Expertise in Python.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct research and produce scholarly outputs, evidenced by publications in peer‑reviewed journals.
• Familiarity with molecular and cellular biology concepts is desirable.
• Independent self‑starter with strong work ethic, interpersonal and written communication skills, and ability to work well in a collaborative team environment.

• A cover letter.
• Curriculum vitae (CV).

Employment with the University requires successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full‑time employees designed to support personal and professional well‑being. For more detailed information, see the Benefits Page. (For Postdoctoral benefits, please see the Postdoctoral Benefits page.)

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