Postdoctoral Research Associate

Requisition Details

GENERAL REQUISITION INFORMATION


EEO Statement:


UNMC is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, including an equal opportunity employer of protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Location
Omaha, NE


Requisition Number:
2026 - 367


Department
Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology 50000521


Business Unit(College/Institute)
College of Medicine


FTE:


100

Reg-Temp
Full-Time Regular


Work Schedule
Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM


Requisition Category
Research - Academic


Requisition Title
Postdoctoral Research Associate


Job Title/Academic Rank
Postdoctoral Research Associate


Additional Requisition Title

Appointment Type
A1 - REG OTHER ACAD SAL


Salary Range
Salary Commensurate with Experience


Job/EEO Category
Professional Non-Faculty (Includes Other Academic)


Job Requisition Begin Date
09/18/2026

Position Qualification


Position Summary


An NIH-funded Postdoctoral Research Associate position is available to study bacterial subversion of host lipid metabolism in the laboratory of Dr. Stacey Gilk in the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary research program investigating how the intracellular bacterial pathogen Coxiella burnetii, the causative agent of Q fever, reprograms host lipid metabolism to support infection and replication. Current projects focus on understanding how Coxiella manipulates lipid droplets and endoplasmic reticulum-lipid droplet (ER-LD) membrane contact sites through bacterial effector proteins, and how host lipid trafficking pathways contribute to pathogen survival. The postdoctoral fellow will employ a combination of cell biology, microbiology, molecular genetics, imaging, biochemistry, lipidomics, and metabolic approaches to characterize host-pathogen interactions and define mechanisms of lipid flux during intracellular infection.

Ideal candidates will have a PhD in microbiology, cell biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, or a related field. Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable: host-pathogen interactions, microscopy, intracellular bacteria, lipid metabolism, membrane trafficking, organelle biology, or metabolomics/lipidomics. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated, independent, rigorous, and hypothesis-driven scientist who will be expected to participate in training of graduate students, lab meetings, and other duties appropriate to the applicant's career goals.

Applications should be submitted to and include:

• A cover letter describing research experience, accomplishments, and future research interests and how they align with the position (maximum 2 pages)
• Curriculum vitae, including a complete list of publications
• Names and contact information for three references

Required Qualifications

• PhD in microbiology or parasitology, cell biology, genetics, or other related field.
• Experience in related scientific field of study

Supplemental Qualifications

• 2-3 years of research experience in host-pathogen interactions, cell biology, lipid metabolism, membrane trafficking, organelle biology, or related fields.
• Experience with one or more of the following techniques: mammalian cell culture, bacterial culture and growth assays, fluorescence and confocal microscopy, molecular cloning, genetic manipulation of mammalian cells and bacteria, quantitative gene expression analysis (qPCR/RNA-based approaches), protein analysis, lipidomics/metabolomics, flow cytometry, or biochemical assays.
• Demonstrated ability to design and execute hypothesis-driven research, analyze complex datasets, and communicate findings effectively through publications and presentations.