Job Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

Poultry Science

Proposed Minimum Salary

$4,583.34 monthly

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information

The postdoctoral fellow will conduct research on Campylobacter species, including C. coli, C. jejuni, and C. hepaticus. Research topics include poultry food safety, spotty liver disease, antibiotic alternatives, and host immune responses.

Primary research activities will include:

• Collection, isolation, and characterization of field strains of Campylobacter

• Development of improved differential and selective culture media

• Design and evaluation of candidate subunit vaccines

• Identification and evaluation of protective compounds and antibiotic alternatives

• Testing candidate interventions using in vitro and in vivo challenge models to assess pathogen colonization and host immune function

The postdoctoral fellow will work closely with faculty, graduate students, and technical staff in the Departments of Poultry Science and Animal Science at Texas A&M University and will collaborate with scientists from the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and collaborative research projects

• Design and perform laboratory and animal experiments

• Analyze microbiological, molecular, microbiome, and bioinformatics data

• Contribute to manuscript preparation and publication in peer-reviewed journals

• Assist in the preparation of grant proposals and research reports

• Mentor and train graduate and undergraduate students

• Assist with preparation and maintenance of regulatory compliance documentation and protocols related to animal welfare, biosafety, and environmental health and safety.

• Coordinate with laboratory personnel to maintain inventory and procure research supplies.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Poultry Science with a strong microbiology focus

• Experience conducting both basic (e.g., molecular biology, microbiome analysis, bioinformatics) and applied research (e.g., animal and industry field trials)

• Demonstrated training and proficiency in working with risk group 2 pathogens in BSL-2 and ABSL-2 facilities

Other Requirements

In order to be considered for this position prior to your doctoral degree being conferred, please attach a letter from your school’s official Graduate Office, Registrar’s Office or PhD Committee Chair certifying that all requirements for the doctoral degree have been met and stating the degree conferral date.

Preferred Qualifications

• Peer-reviewed publication record commensurate with career stage

• Strong written and oral communication skills

• Interest in mentoring graduate students and contributing to collaborative publications

• Prior experience working with Campylobacter hepaticus

• Experience with biosecurity strategies and food safety interventions

• Practical understanding of the commercial poultry industry and HACCP-based food safety systems

• Experience writing or contributing to competitive grant proposals

​Salary: Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas  
• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions

Applications received by Texas A&M AgriLife must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to prepopulate the online application.

Required Documents

CV/ Resume

Cover letter

List of references

Certifications/ additional documentation

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.