Harvard University Postdoctoral fellowships (August)

1. Postdoctoral Fellow in Comparative Primate Neuroimaging

School Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department/Area Human Evolutionary Biology

Position Description

The Department of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Evolutionary Neuroscience Laboratory of Dr. Erin Hecht.  The focus of the position will be to study neuroanatomical adaptations that differentiate human brains from those of other primates, including neural traits related to the acquisition of communication and technological skills.  The project involves analysis of both in vivo and high-field ex vivo structural MRI and diffusion MRI data from humans and great ape species.

 

This is a one-year position, expected to begin in fall or winter 2022, with possibility of renewal dependent upon adequate funding and satisfactory performance. The research will take place in the Evolutionary Neuroscience Laboratory directed by Dr. Hecht and located in the Peabody Museum on Harvard University’s Cambridge, Massachusetts campus.  

 

Broadly, the Evolutionary Neuroscience Laboratory studies how brains change in response to selection pressure on behavior, and how brains acquire heritable adaptations for complex, learned behaviors.  Comparisons between modern humans and our living primate relatives provide a way to address this question in the context of our own evolutionary history.  The lab uses a variety of experimental and computational tools, such as structural and functional neuroimaging, histology and digital microscopy, and behavior analysis.

Basic Qualifications

A doctoral degree is required for this position. Desired qualifications include research in neuroscience, neuroimaging, development, and/or animal behavior.  The project will require coordinating with an interdisciplinary research team that will include neuroscientists, archaeologists, primatologists, and animal behavior scientists.  This research is non-invasive.

Additional Qualifications

Special Instructions

Please submit a letter of interest, an updated CV, and the names of three references.  Evaluation will begin at the time the advertisement is placed and will continue until the position is filled. 

Contact Information

Professor Erin Hecht

https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/evolutionaryneurosciencelab 

Contact Email erin_hecht@fas.harvard.edu

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.

Minimum Number of References Required 3

Maximum Number of References Allowed 5

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

Curriculum Vitae

Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Publication

Publication 2

Publication 3

 | Apply for this Job

2. Postdoctoral Fellow

School Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department/Area Molecular and Cellular Biology

Position Description

The Nett lab seeks to understand the mechanisms by which plants synthesize complex, bioactive small molecules, as well as how these molecules function in nature and within the context of human health. We are looking to hire postdoctoral fellows that share this interest in understanding the intricacies of plant chemistry and biology. Research in the Nett lab spans multiple, distinct projects that are all unified by the chemistry of plants, including: 1) evolutionary and biochemical characterization of neofunctionalized enzymes within plant metabolism, 2) elucidation and engineering of biosynthetic pathways for high-value molecules from plants, and 3) identifying the native targets of bioactive plant small molecules using chemical biology approaches. Opportunities to contribute to each of these projects are available. Start dates are available as soon as possible, but are flexible to the timeline of the successful candidate.

The projects in the Nett lab will provide the opportunity to gain experience with multiple, interdisciplinary techniques, including metabolic engineering of high-value plant molecules, plant synthetic biology, enzymology, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. As this work exists at the interface of biology, chemistry, and engineering, applicants with a diverse background in training and education will be considered. Postdocs in the lab will further have the chance to mentor graduate students, undergrads, and other trainees, and will be given opportunities to participate in grant writing, peer review, and other career-building activities.

Basic Qualifications

A Ph.D. is required. Previous research experience in molecular biology, biochemistry, chemical biology, transcriptomics, proteomics, and/or metabolomics is recommended.

Additional Qualifications

Special Instructions

Letters of recommendation are not required at the time of application; however, letters will be collected for finalists. Candidates should submit with their application contact information for two to three references from experts at the ladder faculty ranks or highly accomplished senior researchers from corporations or research institutes.

Please include the following items as part of your application:

Cover Letter, including a brief explanation of your research interests, research accomplishments, and reasons for pursuing a research position in the Nett lab.

CV

Name and contact information for 2-3 references.

Contact Information

Professor Ryan Nett

Biological Labs

16 Divinity Avenue

Cambridge, MA 02138

Debra Maddalena (Administrator)

maddalen@mcb.harvard.edu

Contact Email rnett@fas.harvard.edu

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.

Minimum Number of References Required 2

Maximum Number of References Allowed 3

Keywords

chemical biology, biosynthesis, plants, natural products, enzymes, metabolism

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

Cover Letter

Curriculum Vitae

Apply for this Job

3. Postdoctoral Fellow in Invertebrate Paleobiology and Evolution

School Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Department/Area Organismic and Evolutionary Biology

Position Description

The Laboratory for Invertebrate Paleobiology and Evolution at the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, and Museum of Comparative Zoology, at Harvard University is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to join our team as part of the Human Frontier Science Program-funded project entitled “Reconstructing water to land transitions in arthropod evolution – combining atoms, genes, and fossils”. The postdoctoral fellow will join a diverse group of invertebrate paleobiologists and evolutionary biologists interested in the use of fossils for reconstructing the early evolution of major animal groups. As part of the HFSP-funded project, the postdoctoral fellow will collaborate with an international team of researchers including Dr. Rosa Fernández at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (Barcelona, Spain), and Dr. Ana Belén Muñoz-García at the University of Naples Federico II (Naples, Italy) to investigate the micro and macroevolution of arthropod respiration though a multidisciplinary approach combining phylogenomics, physical chemistry and invertebrate paleobiology.

More information about the Laboratory for Invertebrate Paleobiology and Evolution at Harvard University – https://ortega-hernandezlab.oeb.harvard.edu/

More information about the HFSP-funded project hosted at Harvard University – https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/958931

Salary

Salary will be commensurate to years of postdoctoral experience in accordance with the National Institutes of Health salary scale (https://www.niaid.nih.gov/grants-contracts/salary-cap-stipends), with a starting salary for FY23 starting at $54,840.00 (Postdoc year 0) and ranging to $66,600.00 (Postdoc year 7).

Who are we looking for?

We seek an evolutionary biologist interested in the water to land transition during arthropod evolution, with particular focus in understanding the micro- and macroevolution of adaptations (e.g. molecular, physiological, anatomical) for aerobic respiration in different environments.

Duration

This is a fixed three-year position starting on January 2023. We are open to negotiate later starting dates during 2023 with interested applicants.

Diversity, equality and inclusion statement

We are committed to fostering a culture of open communication, inclusiveness, and equality within our group, extending to other members of the academic community and the general public. We welcome applications from individuals regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, age, orientation, beliefs, or veteran status. We are particularly eager to receive applications from individuals that self-identify as members of underrepresented minorities in the geosciences, evolutionary biology and STEM disciplines at large. 

Basic Qualifications

- Ph.D. in paleobiology, invertebrate zoology, evolutionary biology, or related fields. Graduate students in the final year are eligible to apply, but proof of PhD is required before the appointment begins.

- A solid track record of scientific publications and international conference presentations.

- Proficiency in one or more of the following skills set: micro computed-tomography (micro-CT imaging, tissue staining, specimen preparation); 3D data analysis and rendering (e.g. SPIERS, Dragonfly, Blender); geometric morphometrics; computational fluid dynamics (CFD); comparative anatomy; phylogenetic methods (e.g. parsimony, Bayesian, molecular clocks). Specialist knowledge of invertebrate zoology and evolutionary biology (particularly arthropods) is desirable but not strictly required.

Additional Qualifications

Special Instructions

Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Please upload the following materials.

1. Cover letter summarizing your research experience and your interest in the position.

2. Curriculum vitae including full list of publications and awards (if applicable).

3. Up to three representative peer-reviewed publications or pre-prints, ideally including at least one first-authored output.

4. Names and contact information of three references. Please note that references are not required at the time of application; referees will be contacted after an initial screening.

Harvard University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and requires pre-employment reference and background screening.

Contact Information

Professor Javier Ortega-Hernandez

Contact Email jortegahernandez@fas.harvard.edu

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.

Minimum Number of References Required 3

Maximum Number of References Allowed 5

Keywords

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

Curriculum Vitae

Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Publication

Publication 2

Publication 3

 Apply for this Job

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