Postdoctoral Research Associate

About the Opportunity

This job description describes the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned to this classification. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

Job Summary

The Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences and Center for Marine Ecological Genomics invite applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in evolutionary genomics. The successful candidate will work on a synthesis project for MacroMar, an international consortium working to create a database of interoperable population genomic data.

The successful candidate will lead comparative and synthetic analyses across large collections of population genomic datasets, with the goal of producing high-impact, peer-reviewed publications. This position offers considerable intellectual independence and is well suited to a researcher eager to develop their own scientific voice while working within a collaborative group. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in ecological and conservation genomics.

The successful candidate will be based at the Lotterhos Lab and the Center for Marine Ecological Genomics at Northeastern Marine Science Center in Nahant, Massachusetts. The Marine Science Center offers a dynamic interdisciplinary research environment across evolution, ecology, biogeochemistry, and the environmental sciences.

This is an in-person position. Starting dates for the position will be between April and September 2027. Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2026. Please submit a 1-page cover letter describing your relevant experience, a 1-page synthesis proposal citing up to 10 references (references are not included in the word count), contact information for three references, and a CV in that order as a single PDF. Please use 10-point Arial font and 1-inch margins. Applications will be reviewed starting on December 1 and then on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education, and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit-eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement, as well as commuting & transportation.

Required Qualifications

• PhD degree in Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genetics, or a related field
• A track record of first-author publications, or submitted manuscripts under review
• Proficiency in population genomics and bioinformatics
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Experience with R, Python, version control (Git), reproducibility, containerization (Docker, Singularity/Apptainer), and working in HPC computing environments
• Experience with mentoring and teaching

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience conducting or contributing to meta-analyses or comparative studies spanning multiple taxa, populations, or datasets
• Familiarity with tools for demographic inference, selection scans, or landscape genomics
• Experience working with large datasets in HPC environments
• Interest in marine evolution and familiarity with challenges of working in marine environments
• Track record of excellent mentoring, development of educational resources, and teaching

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

The level and mixture of the duties may vary by position but typically include a combination of the following responsibilities.

• Collaborate and coordinate with members of the network, including wet lab and computational team members, to define data standards, ensure analytical reproducibility, and assist with project goals.
• Design and lead synthetic analyses across multiple population genomic datasets, identifying broad patterns in genetic diversity, population structure, demographic history, or adaptation.
• Disseminate research; Write and publish first-author manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals
• Contribute to the intellectual environment and management of the network, including mentoring, development of education pipelines, documentation, and organizing and leading workshops and trainings.
• Position Type
• Research
• Additional Information

Additional information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Pay and benefits

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 108S

Expected Hiring Range: $60,315.00 - $85,192.50

With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.