Postdoctoral Scholar in Microbial Pathogenesis

Actox; Santa Cruz (CA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The Auerbuch Stone lab at UC Santa Cruz invites highly motivated applicants for an NIH-funded Postdoctoral Scholar position. The research focuses on how bacterial pathogens sense host signals to establish infection, using genetics, genomics, microscopy, and animal models.

The successful candidate will lead collaborations, drive interdisciplinary projects, supervise trainees, and pursue fellowship applications to advance toward academic, government, or industry roles.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant field (e.g., Microbiology, Immunology)
• Experience with microbiology, bacterial genetics, and molecular biology
• Experience using animal models is preferred

Responsibilities

• Lead first-author publications and develop independent research directions
• Mentor trainees and collaborate with investigators at UC Santa Cruz and partner institutions
• Support fellowship applications and career development toward academic, government, or industry positions

Skills

Microbiology

Bacterial genetics

Molecular biology

Animal models

Education

Ph.D. in Microbiology/Immunology

Job description

We invite highly-motived applicants for an NIH-funded Postdoctoral Scholar position in the Auerbuch Stone lab at the University of California Santa Cruz. Our research focuses on understanding how bacterial pathogens sense and respond to the host environment to successfully establish infection. Using a combination of bacterial genetics, genomics, microscopy, and animal models, we investigate the regulatory networks that control virulence gene expression, with a particular emphasis on how pathogens such as Yersinia integrate host-derived signals such as iron and oxygen to optimize their infection strategy. This project will examine how iron availability shapes host–pathogen interactions and infection outcomes, leveraging models of healthy, anemic, and hereditary hemochromatosis hosts.

The successful candidate will join a collaborative and supportive research environment and play a leading role in driving interdisciplinary research in host-pathogen interactions. We welcome applications from recent Ph.D. graduates with expertise in microbiology, bacterial genetics, and molecular biology, particularly those with experience using animal models. The postdoctoral scholar will have the opportunity to lead first-author publications, develop independent research directions, mentor trainees, collaborate with investigators at UC Santa Cruz and partner institutions, and receive strong support for fellowship applications and career development toward academic, government, or industry positions.