New

Postdoc in Molecular and Weed Ecology

The Pennsylvania State University
remote work
United States, Pennsylvania, University Park
201 Old Main (Show on map)
Apr 03, 2026
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday. If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location.For additional information on remote work at Penn State, seeNotice to Out of State Applicants. This is a term position; length of the term will be discussed during the interview process. Continuation past the termlengthdiscussed willbebasedonuniversityneed,performance,and/oravailabilityoffunding. POSITION SPECIFICS We are seeking applicants interested in invasion and molecular ecology for a one-year Postdoctoral Scholar position to assist with multiple research projects, including 1) using barcoding to identify hybridized knotweed species from their parental counterparts throughout Pennsylvania and neighboring states; and 2) using metabarcoding to determine the relative abundance of distinct plant species in the belowground biomass of diverse communities. The postdoc will primarily work with Dr. Carolyn Lowry, a weed ecologist at The Pennsylvania State University, along with collaborators on the projects mentioned above. Dr. Lowry is committed to mentoring lab members for the next stages of their careers. The individual selected for this position will also have opportunities to develop tangential research questions of interest, design and implement field or lab experiments to test those questions, analyze existing datasets, synthesize results into scientific publications, and present results to stakeholder audiences. The position will be located in State College, PA, and will include a competitive postdoc salary with benefits. Applicants must be highly motivated and have: 1) a PhD with a strong academic record in ecology, plant sciences, or a related field; 2) experience with metabarcoding/ amplicon sequencing (including lab work, bioinformatics, and data analysis); 3) the ability to analyze complex data sets; and 4) strong molecular skillsets and written and oral communication skills. Interested applicants should apply to Penn State's Job Posting Board and attach a cover letter stating research interests and experience, as well as a curriculum vitae including references. For more information, contact Dr. Carolyn Lowry: carolyn.lowry@psu.edu.Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. This position requires that you operate a motor vehicle as a part of your job duties. A valid driver's license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks. BENEFITS Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. For more detailed information, please visit ourBenefits Page. (Note: For Postdoctoral benefits, please see our Postdoctoral Benefits page.) 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