Job Information
Texas A&M University Postdoctoral Research Associate in College Station, Texas
Job Title
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Agency
Texas A&M Agrilife Research
Department
Horticultural Sciences
Proposed Minimum Salary
Commensurate
Job Location
College Station, Texas
Job Type
Staff
Job Description
Job Description: Experience in research on ‘foods for health’, Natural products, and secondary metabolites. The person should have a track record of publications, analytical skills, and secondary metabolites. Experience in grant writing and conducting hypothesis-driven research. Communicate effectively with collaborators, industry partners, and stakeholders.
Required Education: Doctoral Degree in related field
Preferred Experience: Experience in research related to ‘foods for health’, Natural products and secondary metabolites.
Responsibilities:
Lead and coordinate lab activities, including scheduling, requisition of supplies, safety, and compliance.
Maintain and troubleshoot laboratory equipment and analytical instruments.
Isolate and purify natural compounds using chromatographic techniques (e.g., column chromatography, HPLC, flash chromatography).
Perform structural characterization of natural products using spectroscopic methods (NMR, MS, IR, UV-Vis).
Conduct bioassay-guided fractionation to identify bioactive compounds.
Apply extraction techniques (e.g., Soxhlet, maceration, ultrasonic, supercritical fluid extraction).
Implement dereplication strategies to identify known compounds efficiently.
Analyze metabolites in plant and biological samples using LC-MS and GC-MS.
Conduct research on the biosynthetic pathways of metabolites in fruits and vegetables.
Investigate the impact of genetic and environmental factors on metabolite production.
Collaborate with research teams on interdisciplinary projects, including the melon integrated project.
Conduct field trials and collect samples across Texas as needed.
Engage in grant writing and produce high-quality publications.
Train and mentor undergraduate and graduate students, as well as visiting scientists.
Develop and lead hands-on training sessions and short courses.
Maintain detailed records, write standard operating procedures, and contribute to safety documentation.
Communicate effectively with collaborators, industry partners, and stakeholders.
Perform other duties as assigned by the Director of the Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center.
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Ability to independently design and conduct experiments.
Proficiency in analytical instrumentation for metabolite characterization.
Experience linking bioactives, whole food systems, and microbiota.
Proven record of peer-reviewed publications and scholarly work.
Capability to work in a fast-paced environment with firm deadlines.
Strong teamwork and multitasking abilities.
Competency in statistical analysis tools (e.g., SAS, R, XLstat, Multivariate analysis).
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook).
Willingness to work evening and weekend hours as required.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
Expertise in interpreting LC-MS, GC-MS, Raman spectroscopy, and NMR data.
Experience in metabolic profiling and quantification of bioactive compounds in plants.
Familiarity with computational modeling of structure-function relationships.
Understanding of sustainable food production and plant-based food trends.
Experience in assay development for new compounds and ingredients.
Ability to manage lab inventory, personnel, and research projects.
Strong background in developing and analyzing research findings for scientific publications and presentations.
All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.
Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.