Job Summary
The National Synthesis Center for Organismal Resilience (NSCORE) is recruiting its inaugural cohort of three Postdoctoral Research Scientists. Based at Columbia University, these researchers will bridge the gap between organismal biology and computer science to advance the field of computational organismal biology. The roles involve developing AI tools to synthesize data across biological scales—from molecules to ecosystems—to predict organismal resilience in changing environments.
Designation
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
Research Area
Computational Organismal Biology, Ecology, Evolution, Environmental Biology, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Synthesis.
Location
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY.
Eligibility & Qualifications
- Academic Excellence: A PhD in a relevant field with a strong publication record.
- Scholarship: Evidence of independent scholarship and research initiative.
- Leadership: Experience working with and leading interdisciplinary scientific teams.
- Technical Skills: Proficiency in handling large datasets, organismal biology, or computational modeling is highly desirable.
Job Description
Selected postdocs will divide their time equally between two primary functions:
- Working Group Collaboration (50%): Working directly with one of NSCORE’s inaugural working groups focusing on Behavioral flexibility, Molecular plasticity, or Morphological Plasticity.
- Independent Synthesis (50%): Conducting independent synthesis science using existing environmental and organismal data under the mentorship of affiliated faculty.
Specific Working Groups
- Behavioral Flexibility: Utilizing billions of accelerometer records and video analysis paired with machine learning to model animal movement and biodiversity metrics.
- Molecular Plasticity: Using genome language models and transcriptomic datasets to distinguish mechanisms of molecular plasticity in response to stress.
- Morphological Plasticity: Applying deep learning and AI-based image analysis to global vegetation surveys and lidar data to predict forest resilience and structural changes.
Benefits
- Generous salary.
- Dedicated office space at NSCORE.
- Modest research and travel allowance.
- Access to high-performance compute resources.
How to Apply
Interested candidates should submit their application including a CV, research statement, and references through the Interfolio platform.
Apply Link: Apply via Interfolio
Important Dates
Anticipated Start Date: Between February 2027 and July 2027.
Last Date for Apply: Not specified (Applications are typically reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled).
