Postdoctoral Research Associate

Washington State University; Washington; On-site; USD 62,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid sick and vacation leave

Health/retirement benefits

Holiday pay

Job summary

Washington State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate position within the Crops and Soil Sciences department. The project focuses on genetic basis of key agronomic traits and seed quality in pulse crops, integrating genomics, phenomics, and genomic prediction methods.

The role involves collaboration with the USDA ARS NPGS, managing experiments, and contributing to pre-breeding work across pea, chickpea, and lentil.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in plant breeding, bioinformatics, quantitative/statistical/population genetics, or a related discipline.
• Experience with project management and experimental design.
• Demonstrated expertise analyzing highly-dimensional genomic and/or phenomic datasets.

Responsibilities

• Lead research on genetic basis of agronomic traits and seed quality in pea, chickpea, lentil.
• Develop high-throughput phenotyping methods for breeding and germplasm characterization.
• Collaborate with USDA ARS and university researchers on NPGS projects.

Skills

Genomic data analysis

Experimental design

Project management

Statistical genetics

Education

Ph.D. in plant breeding / bioinformatics / population genetics

Job description

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on: September 6, 2026. If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.

Available Title(s)

306-NY_FACULTY - Postdoctoral Research Associate, 306-YY_FACULTY - Postdoctoral Research Associate

Business Title

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Employee Type

Faculty (+) (Fixed Term)

Position Term

12 Month

Position Details

The Opportunity: The position is on the team of WSU and ARS scientists at the Western Regional Plant Introduction Station led by Marilyn Warburton. The WRPIS, in addition to Plant Genetic Resource conservation as part of the USDA ARS National Plant Germplasm System, conducts research on plant domestication, genetics, and breeding in many crops including important cool season pulse crops. Major areas of research include determining the genetic basis of important agronomic and seed quality traits pre-breeding of pea, chickpea, and lentil; and developing high throughput phenotyping methodologies for breeding and germplasm characterization, including calculation of sequence based genomic prediction and genomic selection values.

To learn more about the USDA ARS NPGS and Plant Genetic Resources, visit our webpages at https://www.ars-grin.gov and https://grin-u.org/.

Benefits

WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes paid sick and vacation leave; paid holidays; medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents; retirement; deferred compensation, optional supplemental retirement accounts. For additional information, please review the detailed Summary of Benefits offered by WSU for Faculty and Total Compensation. For information or questions about Benefits, please contact HRS Benefits at 509-335-4521.

Annual Salary

$62,232.00 - $120,000.00 | Commensurate with experience and qualifications. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate’s current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position. Successful candidates typically begin up to mid-point of the salary range.

This is a full-time (100% FTE), temporary position. This position is overtime eligible.

Appointment Duration: This is a temporary position expected to start on October 1, 2026 and end on September 30, 2028. Renewal is dependent on the need for extension and/or if additional funding is secured to extend employment.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in plant breeding, bioinformatics, quantitative/statistical/population genetics, or a related discipline
• Experience with project management and experimental design
• Demonstrated expertise analyzing highly-dimensional genomic and/or phenomic datasets

Preferred Qualifications

• Significant independent research experience
• Creativity, independence, and strong problem‑solving skills
• Genetic, molecular, field, or greenhouse research experience
• Skills in bioinformatics or statistical genetics
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Strong organization, multitasking, and teamwork abilities
• Careful documentation and effective scientific writing
• Advanced knowledge of quantitative, population, and statistical genetics, including genomic prediction models
• Demonstrated ability in program management, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement

Position Sponsorship Eligibility

Not eligible for work visa sponsorship

About Department of Crop and Soil Sciences - http://css.wsu.edu

Area/College

College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS)

Department Name

Crops and Soil Sciences

Location

Pullman, WA

Contact

For questions regarding this position please contact Marilyn Warburton at [e-mail].

Background Check

This position has been designated by the department to require a background check because it requires access to children or vulnerable adults as defined by RCW 74.34, engages in law enforcement, requires security clearance, interacts with WSU students in a counseling or advising capacity, has access to personal identifying and/or financial information, unsupervised access to university buildings/property, or other business-related need. A background check will not be completed until an initial determination of qualification for employment has been made.

Union Representation

This position is represented exclusively by Postdocs United/United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Information regarding the Union and the CBA is available on the WSU Labor Relations website.

Washington State University encourages

all qualified candidates to apply, including members of the military and veterans, and persons with disabilities.

WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or [e-mail].

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More information, resources, and contact information are available here: https://ccr.wsu.edu/notice-of-nondiscrimination/