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About The Position
This is a two-year position, with the possibility of a one-year extension depending on performance and funding, with an expected start date of October 2026. The person in this position will work with scientists at both the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Field Museum. The position combines two primary roles: supporting the curation and accessioning of insect collections from the Chicago Botanic Garden for long-term deposit at the Field Museum and leading the development and evaluation of eDNA-based approaches to study plant–pollinator interactions from biological collections.
The postdoctoral research associate tasks will be twofold. The research associate will assist with the curation and organization of insect collections, with particular attention to micromoth species, helping prepare and transfer these materials to the Field Museum. In parallel, they will also lead a methods-driven research program to establish a flexible and scalable pipeline to reconstruct pollination networks using eDNA. This work will focus on one of two complementary strategies: (1) identifying plant species from pollen DNA recovered from insect specimens or other collections-based materials, or (2) identifying pollinator communities through insect DNA recovered from flowers and floral surfaces in living plant collections. Ultimately the project will depend on the researcher’s preferences, expertise, and professional aspirations.
A key objective of the position is to evaluate the strengths, limitations, and potential taxonomic biases of current metabarcoding approaches and to develop improved workflows (e.g., marker selection, target capture, and validation strategies) for major pollinator groups. The postdoctoral researcher will integrate molecular data with observational or experimental datasets to assess methodological accuracy and ecological inference. While integration of both approaches is encouraged, the position allows for deep exploration of a single pathway if logistical or analytical constraints limit scope.
The role offers substantial flexibility to shape the research direction while contributing to broader institutional goals related to pollinator conservation, collections-based science, and methodological innovation. The postdoctoral research associate will collaborate with scientists working in ecology, molecular biology, and collections management and will contribute to publications, protocol development, and future grant proposals.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in ecology, evolution, entomology, conservation biology, molecular biology, or a related field
- Laboratory and/or field experience: Laboratory experience may include various molecular methods, library preparation, sequencing, and bioinformatics. Field experience may include plant ecology, pollination ecology, pollinator ecology, and/or insect ecology.
- Strong programming and/or analytical skills (e.g., R, Python, bioinformatics pipelines)
- Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines
- Demonstrated record of publication
- Excellent communication skills
- Proficiency with common software applications
Nice To Haves
- Strong knowledge of pollinator ecology, plant–pollinator interactions, and/or collections-based research
- More than two years of field experience with plants and/or pollinators
- Experience with eDNA methods, target-capture, metabarcoding, or pollen barcoding
- Experience integrating field observations with molecular and/or collections data
- Mechanical or laboratory equipment troubleshooting skills
Responsibilities
- Curation and accessioning insect collection: The postdoctoral research associate will collaborate with curatorial staff at the Field Museum to accession and curate insects collected at the Chicago Botanic Garden, with particular emphasis on a valuable and extensive micromoth inventory.
- Research design and project leadership: Lead the design and execution of an independent postdoctoral research project using environmental DNA (eDNA) to study plant–pollinator interactions in collaboration with project mentors.
- eDNA method development and validation: Conduct field- and collections-based sampling of flowers, insects, or pollen as required by the chosen research pathway. Develop, test, and optimize laboratory and analytical workflows for eDNA applications relevant to pollination biology, including DNA extraction, marker selection, amplification, sequencing, and/or target-capture approaches. Evaluate taxonomic coverage and biases of existing molecular markers, particularly for key pollinator groups (e.g., Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera) and plant taxa. Validate eDNA results using complementary data sources, such as direct observations, experimental plant trials, or existing datasets. Document protocols and contribute reproducible workflows that can be adopted by future projects.
- Data analysis, interpretation, and presentation: Analyze molecular and ecological data using appropriate statistical and bioinformatic approaches. Contribute to data visualization, synthesis, and interpretation for manuscripts and presentations. Lead or co-author peer-reviewed publications resulting from the postdoctoral research. Present findings at scientific meetings, seminars, and internal research forums.
Benefits
- 2026 A Guide to Your Benefits JP.pdf
