Postdoctoral Research Associate

Postdoctoral Research Associate

The School of Food Science at Washington State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate specializing in Food Safety, Microbiology with Data Science Applications. This position offers a unique opportunity to conduct applied research addressing pressing real-world food safety challenges in collaboration with industry partners.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic team investigating microbial contamination, intervention strategies, and risk reduction across diverse food systems. The position also offers opportunities to apply advanced data analysis and computational tools to derive novel insights from microbiological data, while collaborating with leading food companies and regulatory agencies to translate research findings into practical solutions.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and lead interdisciplinary food safety studies on pathogenic bacteria using microbiological and molecular approaches, with opportunities to incorporate engineering based solutions and data-driven tools.
• Prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and contribute to grant proposals.
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students in laboratory research, experimental design, and data analysis.

Benefits: WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation, optional supplemental retirement accounts.

Annual Salary: $62,232 - $65,000 | Commensurate with experience and qualifications

This is a full time (100% FTE), temporary position. This position is overtime eligible.

Appointment Duration: This is a temporary position expected to start on January 1, 2027, and end on December 31, 2027. Renewal is dependent on the need for extension and/or if additional funding is secured to extend employment.

Required Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Food Microbiology, Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with or strong interest in data analysis, programming, or predictive modeling.
• Microbiological laboratory skills, with experience in microbiome research and/or sequencing based approaches.
• Evidence of peer-reviewed publications and strong scientific writing and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team.

Washington State University encourages all qualified candidates to apply, including members of the military and veterans, and persons with disabilities.