Postdoctoral Associate Position in Biosocial Science

1000scholars; New Haven (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Human Nature Lab (HNL) within Professor Nicholas Christakis's group seeks a postdoctoral researcher to advance biosocial science, with a focus on olfaction and social behavior. The successful candidate will work across social, biological, and computational domains in a flexible, mentorship-rich environment.

Applicants with backgrounds in physical or life sciences, strong analytical skills, and experience with GC-MS are especially encouraged.

Qualifications

• Must have a Ph.D. in biochemistry, chemistry, molecular biology, genetics, evolutionary biology, zoology, systems biology, environmental science, physics, or related field.
• Ability to undertake full-time research in a fully provisioned lab; solid record of independent research.
• Working knowledge of wet-lab techniques (e.g., GC-MS); strong analytical background; interest in interdisciplinary research.

Responsibilities

• Focus on the role of olfaction in social behavior.
• Engage in research crossing social, biological, and computational sciences.
• Rolling reviews of applications; flexible start date.

Skills

GC-MS

Chemosignaling

Computational biology

Interdisciplinary research

Education

PhD in biochemistry/chemistry/molecular biology/genetics/evolutionary biology/other relevant field

Tools

Laboratory techniques

Job description

Position Description

Postdoctoral researcher position available for outstanding candidate in the Human Nature Lab (HNL) of Professor Nicholas Christakis, MD, PhD. Applicants with background in physical or life sciences who are interested in the relevance of biological processes to social-behavioral phenomena are sought to strengthen HNL’s research portfolio in biosocial science. HNL offers the opportunity for a flexible research agenda with strong mentorship in social, biological, and computational sciences.

A primary area of focus will be the role of olfaction in social behavior. Competitive candidates will have demonstrated interest in the relationship between basic biology and behavior and some experience processing or analyzing organic compounds in a laboratory setting.

• Other areas of interest could include biological bases of human sociality; the role of the microbiome in human social phenotypes; the impact of social interactions on microbiome evolution; the biology and genetics of mate choice and social tie formation; and similar topics.
• A good scholarly record and demonstrated ability to conduct challenging and innovative work are more important than specific content area within the biological sciences.
• The ideal candidate is one with a strong research background that has provided some preparation for examining the role of olfaction in human social behavior and who is interested in the lab’s program of research in this area.

Must have a Ph.D. in biochemistry, chemistry, molecular biology, genetics, evolutionary biology, zoology, systems biology, environmental science, physics, or other relevant field; be able to undertake full-time research (in our fully provisioned lab); have a solid record of independent research; and have working knowledge of relevant wet lab techniques (e.g., GC-MS). Strong analytical background and interest in interdisciplinary research are required. Demonstrated experience in a relevant field, including (but not limited to) chemosignaling, computational biology, behavior genetics, or related areas is desirable. Candidates with interests that complement ongoing projects at HNL (https://humannaturelab.net/) will be given particular attention.

Position is currently open and start date is flexible. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.