Postdoctoral Research Associate in Plant Breeding and Genomic Prediction

Proposed start date: September 24, 2026. Full-time, 12-month appointment.

About the role

The Department of Agronomy in Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) seeks a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to contribute to research focused on cover crop improvement, agronomic performance, and plant responses to environmental stress.

Responsibilities

• Analyze agronomic datasets from cover crop experiments using advanced statistical and quantitative genetic approaches.
• Apply genomic prediction methods to evaluate and improve cover crop performance.
• Design, implement, and manage climate chamber experiments under shade and other environmental stress conditions.
• Collect, process, and analyze seedling phenotypic data, including morphological, physiological, and stomatal traits.
• Interpret experimental results and prepare reports, presentations, and scientific publications.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary research teams and contribute to grant-funded research objectives.
• Prepare final drafts of research manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.

Requirements

• PhD in Plant Breeding.
• Experience in design and analysis of field experiments.
• Experience with analysis of genome-wide marker analyses.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with crops grown along with cover crops.
• Experience with design, conduct, and analysis of climate chamber experiments.
• Experience analyzing plant physiological traits, particularly shade response and stomata traits.
• Experience working in large interdisciplinary teams.
• Experience with publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental.
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans.
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans.
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa).
• Life insurance and long-term disability.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Wellbeing program.
• WorkFlex options for flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work.