Postdoctoral Research Associate

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on:
November 29, 2026
If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.

Available Title(s):
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 School of Food Science at Washington State University invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Associate specializing in Food Safety, Microbiology with Data Science Applications. This position offers a unique opportunity to conduct applied research addressing pressing real-world food safety challenges in collaboration with industry partners.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic team investigating microbial contamination, intervention strategies, and risk reduction across diverse food systems. The position also offers opportunities to apply advanced data analysis and computational tools to derive novel insights from microbiological data, while collaborating with leading food companies and regulatory agencies to translate research findings into practical solutions.

Key Responsibilities :

- Design and lead interdisciplinary food safety studies on pathogenic bacteria using microbiological and molecular approaches, with opportunities to incorporate engineering based solutions and data-driven tools.
- Prepare manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals and contribute to grant proposals.
- Mentor graduate and undergraduate students in laboratory research, experimental design, and data analysis.

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.

Additional Information:

Annual Salary: $62,232 - $65,000 | 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 January 1, 2027, and end on December 31, 2027 . Renewal is dependent on the need for extension and/or if additional funding is secured to extend employment.

Postdoctoral Requirements: For detailed information on eligibility for postdoctoral appointments, please visit: WSU/UAW Postdoctoral Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Required Qualifications:

- Ph.D. in Food Microbiology, Food Science, Food Engineering, or a related discipline.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Experience with or strong interest in data analysis, programming, or predictive modeling.
- Microbiological laboratory skills, with experience in microbiome research and/or sequencing based approaches.
- Evidence of peer-reviewed publications and strong scientific writing and communication skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively within an interdisciplinary team.

Position Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for work visa sponsorship

About Department/College/Area/ Campus - https://sfs.wsu.edu/

Area/College: College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS)
Department Name: School of Food Science
Location: Pullman, WA

Application Instructions: Applicants must upload the following required documents to their online application. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications and additional requirements.

1) Resume
2) Cover Letter

External candidates , upload all documents in the “Application Document” section of your application.

Current WSU Employees (internal candidates) , before starting your Workday application, please use these instructions to update your education and experience in your worker profile in Workday . Internal candidates, upload all documents in the “Resume/Cover Letter” section of your application.

All candidates , documents may be submitted as one file or separate files. Applicants are encouraged to upload as a PDF, if possible.

Reference contact information will be requested later in the recruitment process through Workday.

Contact: For questions regarding this position or the application process, please contact Dr. Meijun Zhu at [email protected].

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 [email protected] .

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