Research Assistant

About This Role

We are seeking a dedicated Research Assistant to lead our computational infrastructure and data management efforts. This position is strictly focused on dry-lab operations, specifically the development of bioinformatics pipelines and the integration of large-scale multi-omics datasets. The successful candidate will play a critical role in transforming raw experimental data into biological insights by building a centralized microbiome database and ensuring the reproducibility of our analysis workflows.

About Us

The department of Grain and Food Science is committed to providing high-quality education, advancing innovation in grain and food science research, and building strong industry partnerships to meet the evolving needs of global food systems.

Our faculty includes several current and former Grain and Food Science members who are ranked among the world’s top 2% of researchers in a 2020 Stanford University study.

For more than 110 years, Kansas State University has been a global leader in flour milling and industry-focused education. Since 1951, it has remained one of the few institutions worldwide to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees in Bakery Science and Management, Feed and Pet Food Science, Food Science, and Milling Science and Management.

Our internationally recognized graduate program also provides a wide range of opportunities for both applied and fundamental research, leading to master’s and doctoral degrees in grain science, food science, and related fields

Worksite Description

This position is On-site .

All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.

What You'll Need to Succeed

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires a bachelor's degree.
• Education beyond the minimum degree requirement may count toward required experience if deemed relevant by the hiring manager. The degree requirement ensures candidates possess the advanced theoretical knowledge, highly specialized methodologies, and critical problem-solving skills fundamental to this work. These competencies are typically developed and rigorously validated only through the comprehensive curriculum and intensive experiential experience inherent in a formal degree program.

Preferred Qualifications:

• B.S. or M.S. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics or a related field with a strong interest in microbiome science.
• Experience with workflow management systems such as Nextflow, Snakemake, or Galaxy. ·
• Expertise in database design and management (e.g., SQL, PostgreSQL, or MongoDB). ·
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., GitHub/GitLab) and containerization (Docker/Singularity).
• Proven experience using microbiome analysis frameworks.
• Ability to interpret biological data and communicate complex computational findings to an interdisciplinary team
• Advanced proficiency in R or Phyton for data manipulation and statistical analysis.
• Strong command of the Linux/Unix environment and shell scripting.

Additional Role Information:

• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of employment.
• The candidate must be able to work in a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary environment.

Sponsorship eligibility:

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship

How to Apply

Please submit the following:
1. K-State online Page Up application
2. Submit Resume
3. Letter of Interest
4. List of three references with email address and phone number listed

Application Window

Applications close on: 6/21/2026

Anticipated Hiring Pay Range

$18.86 - $24.04