Research Associate-Fixed Term

Position Summary

Michigan State University's Plant Resilience Institute (PRI) is seeking a highly motivated and skilled postdoctoral researcher to lead a project focused on discovering a new class of regulatory metabolites and their nuclear signaling mechanisms that govern plant resilience.   The project integrates bioinformatics, molecular genetics, protein structural prediction, and experimental validation to investigate their roles in gene regulation and s tress response.  The postdoctoral researcher will lean efforts in gene characterization, reverse genetics and ligand screening using phenotyping and molecular genetic approaches.  This is a unique opportunity to contribute to conceptual advances in plant stress hormone biology, while building tools and resources of broad utility to the plant science community.  The successful candidate will join a highly interdisciplinary team led by Dr. Gregg Howe, with collaborators across PRI.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and execute reverse genetic experiments (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9 knockouts and GFP-tagged overexpressors) to evaluate the functional roles of prioritized candidate genes 
• Develop and apply protein turnover assays using fluorescent-tagged constructs and metabolite treatments 
• Collaborate with PRI labs on phenotyping (e.g., drought, heat, insect resistance) and transcriptome analysis 
• Analyze protein structure using AlphaFold and guide mutagenesis strategies for dominant gain-of-function alleles 
• Coordinate with internal collaborators on compound screening and ligand-binding assays 
• Contribute to data interpretation, manuscript preparation, and dissemination of findings through publications and conferences

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -Plant Biology, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Genetics

Minimum Requirements

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Plant Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, or a related field by the time of appointment 
• Demonstrated experience with plant transformation, reverse genetics, and phenotypic analysis 
• Familiarity with gene expression analysis and confocal microscopy 
• Strong communication, organizational, and team collaboration skills 

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with phytohormone biology or regulatory metabolite research 
• Familiarity with compound screening or receptor-ligand interaction assays 
• Background in bioinformatics or phylogenomics a plus

Required Application Materials

Please submit a cover letter detailing research experience and motivation for joining the PRIME project, a curriculum vitae and contact information for three references.

Special Instructions

The position is open immediately and will close upon the determination of an ideal candidate. Applications will be reviewed upon receipt of the individual’s material.

Review of Applications Begins On

09/05/2025

Website

https://plantresilience.msu.edu/

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.