Postdoctoral Fellow in Medical and Molecular Genetics

Position Summary

The Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics at the Indiana University School of Medicine invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow to join the Human Evolutionary and Statistical Genetics (HESG) Lab. The HESG Lab develops statistical and computational methods to understand human population history and the genetic basis of complex diseases. Our research sits at the intersection of population genetics, statistical genetics, and evolutionary disease genetics, with a particular emphasis on leveraging human genetic diversity to improve genetic discovery, fine-mapping, and biological interpretation.

Responsibilities

• Develop novel statistical and computational methods for human genetics and complex disease research.
• Conduct research in statistical genetics, population genetics, evolutionary disease genetics, and large-scale genomic data analysis.
• Analyze genomic datasets from population biobanks, sequencing studies, psychiatric genetics studies, and other large-scale human genetics resources.
• Lead independent research projects while working closely with the PI and multidisciplinary collaborators.
• Publish research findings in leading peer-reviewed journals and present work at national and international scientific meetings.
• Contribute to the generation of preliminary data, analytical frameworks, and methodological results that support NIH and foundation grant applications.

Training and Career Development

The HESG Lab is committed to providing a supportive and intellectually stimulating training environment. Postdoctoral fellows will receive close mentorship in developing independent research directions, writing manuscripts, presenting scientific findings, preparing grant and fellowship applications, mentoring junior trainees, and building a long-term career plan. The position is well-suited for candidates interested in pursuing independent academic careers, research scientist positions, or leadership roles in human genetics, statistical genetics, computational biology, data science, or industry research.

What We Offer

• IU School of Medicine is committed to being a welcoming campus community and we seek candidates whose research, teaching, and community engagement efforts contribute to robust learning and working environments for all students, staff, and faculty.
• The successful candidate will join a newly established and rapidly growing research program with strong institutional and NIH support.
• The laboratory emphasizes methodological innovation, rigorous quantitative thinking, reproducible research, open science, and collaborative team science.
• Postdoctoral fellows will have opportunities to shape the scientific direction and culture of the lab while developing independent research programs that address fundamental questions in human genetics, population history, psychiatric genetics, and complex disease biology.

Basic Qualifications

• A Ph.D. in Statistics, Biostatistics, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Data Science, or a related quantitative discipline.
• Strong quantitative, computational, and programming skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
• Strong interest in developing statistical or computational methods for human genetics.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in one or more of the following areas is preferred:
• Statistical genetics
• Human genetics
• Population genetics
• Evolutionary genetics
• Bayesian statistics
• Machine learning
• Large-scale genomic data analysis
• High-performance computing
• Experience in human population genetics, evolutionary genetics, or related quantitative analyses is considered a plus but is not required.