Summary:
The Department of Microbiology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) invites applications for a postdoctoral researcher position to investigate the impacts of long-term climate change on soil microbial communities and their functional dynamics. This research will focus on linking microbial diversity, genomic potential, and ecosystem processes through cutting-edge metagenomic techniques and artificial intelligence. The successful candidate will join a dynamic research team and be affiliated with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology (IGB), a world-class interdisciplinary institute.
Postdoctoral Researcher in Soil Microbial Metagenomics and Climate Change, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Illinois, USA
Designation: Postdoctoral Researcher
Research Area: Soil Microbial Metagenomics, Climate Change, Microbial Ecology, Bioinformatics
Location: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Illinois, USA
Eligibility/Qualification:
- PhD in microbiology, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, environmental science, or a related field (candidates expecting to defend their PhD before the start date are welcome to apply).
- Strong publication record.
- Experience in metagenomics, bioinformatics, microbial ecology, and/or computational biology is highly desirable.
- Familiarity with genome binning, MAG reconstruction, or long-read sequencing and epigenetic analysis is a plus.
- Strong organizational and communication skills.
- Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams.
- Proficiency in written and spoken English.
Job Description:
The postdoctoral researcher will conduct research on the impacts of climate change on soil microbial communities, focusing on:
- Metagenomic sequencing and analysis of soil microbial communities.
- Genome-resolved metagenomics (MAG reconstruction, binning, and annotation).
- Long-read sequencing and epigenomics to study DNA methylation and regulatory mechanisms.
- Integration of multi-omics datasets (metagenomics, metatranscriptomics, etc.).
- Application of AI and machine learning to analyze large-scale environmental datasets.
The position offers access to cutting-edge facilities, advanced computational infrastructure, and high-performance sequencing resources. Active collaboration with the Institute for Environmental Genomics (IEG) and the DOE Joint Genome Institute (JGI) will be encouraged.
How to Apply:
Interested candidates should send the following application materials to Wei Qin at weiqin@illinois.edu:
- A cover letter (max. 1 page) outlining research interests and relevant experience.
- CV, including contact details for two references.
- A copy of your PhD degree certificate (or expected defense date).
For informal inquiries, you may also contact Wei Qin directly.
Last Date for Apply: July 15, 2026
Start Date: September 1, 2026
