Postdoctoral Researcher in Mosquito Immunity – Iowa State University, United States

Job Description:

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

The Smith Lab in the Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa, USA) invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position to study mosquito immune cell populations to better define their contributions to host-pathogen interactions and innate immune function.

The candidate is expected to contribute to ongoing projects in the lab to develop genetic tools to examine mosquito immune cell function and their influence in arbovirus and/or malaria parasite infection. The candidate will also have freedom to develop related projects according to his/her/their research interests.

The candidate is expected to work closely with a diverse team of scientists, as well as additional collaborators, to achieve the desired project aims.

The Smith Lab (https://faculty.sites.iastate.edu/smithr/) offers a highly collaborative research environment focused on the study of mosquito-borne disease and builds on several recent publications/preprints from the laboratory:

https://www.pnas.org/content/116/28/14119.short

https://elifesciences.org/articles/66192 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.680020/full

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.04.03.587950v1

Required Minimum Qualifications:

 PhD in molecular biology, genetics, entomology or a closely related biological discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

•  Demonstrated experience in molecular biology techniques and molecular cloning.
• Experience with mosquitoes or other insect systems.
• Previous experience in insect transgenesis, RNAi, and innate immunity will be given preference
• Experience with insect immune cells (hemocytes)
• Experience with arbovirus or malaria parasite infections and host-pathogen interactions.

Proposed Start Date:

July 1, 2024

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

June 30, 2025

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

Time Type:

Full time

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:

1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2) Letter of Application/Cover Letter

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Why Choose ISU?

Iowa State Postdocs enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing Program

Original Posting Date:

April 18, 2024

Posting Close Date:

May 17, 2024

Job Requisition Number:

R14512