Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Indiana University

Indiana University

Posted on Aug 8, 2025

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

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Posting Details

Position Details
Title Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Appointment Status Non-Tenure Track
Department IU Bloomington Biology
Location Bloomington
Position Summary
The department of Biology is a large, unified department with strong undergraduate degrees, nationally-ranked graduate programs, and world-class research spanning the breadth of biological questions and experimental systems — from ecosystems to microbiology and developmental biology, from evolution to cell biology, from molecular biology to systems biology, bioinformatics, and genomics. It is always an exciting time for Biology — enormous advances in global genome analysis coupled with unprecedented developments in interdisciplinary research have made the 21st century the Century of Biology. For more information about the department, you can find it here: About: Department of Biology: Indiana University Bloomington.
The Department of Biology at Indiana University Bloomington invites applications for a post-doctoral research position under the supervision of Dr. Chris Smith Home | Chris Smith. Our new lab in Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior investigates machine learning approaches for population genetics. Our research integrates custom neural architecture design, simulations, and publicly available genomic datasets to develop new inference methods. The Postdoctoral Associate will conduct research related to creating or testing deep learning models for genomics, exploring new techniques related to spatial simulations, or other topics discussed with the PI.
Core job duties include: (1) Designing, implementing, and overseeing research projects focused on methods development for understanding genetic variation within and between populations, (2) building computational pipelines for conducting simulation experiments and analyzing genomic sequencing data, (3) writing scientific publications and presenting findings at conferences.
Other general responsibilities include: Serving as a point person for lab computing infrastructure and actively participating in lab meetings and discussions.
Basic Qualifications
Education and experience required: Ph.D. in computational biology, bioinformatics, computer science, or a related field. Demonstrated experience leading computational research projects is required for the proposed research. Expertise in population or evolutionary genetics is preferred but not required.

Required skills:
· Experience with Python
· Experience with high performance computing clusters
· Development of reproducible analysis pipelines
· Strong time management and organizational skills
· Ability to work effectively as a team
· Excellent written and oral communication
· Dependability, initiative, and professionalism
Preferred skills:
· Experience with deep learning libraries (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) and development.
Working conditions/demands: The role requires the ability to move about within an office environment
Department Contact for Questions
To apply: Please submit (1) a cover letter describing your research and educational background, career goals, why you are interested in the position, and the date you are available to start; (2) a current CV; (3) the names and contact information for two references. This can be submitted at the following link:
https://indiana.peopleadmin.com/postings/30325
. For questions about the position contact Chris Smith (chriscs@iu.edu).

Timing and compensation: Review of applicants will begin Aug. 31 and continue until the position is filled. The ideal start is before or on Jan. 15, although the starting date can be adjusted to suit the candidate. The initial appointment is for one year, with reappointment for a second year contingent upon satisfactory performance. Salary will be commensurate with experience and full benefits are included.
Additional Qualifications
Salary and Rank
Special Instructions
For Best Consideration Date 08/31/2025
Expected Start Date 01/15/2025
Posting Number IU-101304-2025

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents
  1. Curriculum Vitae
  2. Letter of Application
  3. List Of References
Optional Documents