Post-Doc Research Associate (Liu Lab)
Company: UNC-Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill
Posted on: April 1, 2026
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Job Description:
Position Summary The Liu Lab at the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research
Associate to investigate the evolutionary mechanisms that shape the
pathogenicity and drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(Mtb) and nontuberculous mycobacteria ( NTM ). This position will
focus on identifying the genetic determinants that drive bacterial
adaptation to the host environment and contribute to antimicrobial
resistance and persistence during infection. The successful
candidate will leverage large-scale longitudinal clinical cohorts
and bacterial isolate collections obtained through collaborations.
The research will involve developing and applying novel
population-genomic and statistical frameworks to detect
non-canonical forms of natural selection, adaptive convergence, and
bacterial traits associated with transmission, virulence, and
treatment outcomes. This position will require integration of
multi-dimensional datasets including genomic, transcriptomic,
phenotypic, and clinical metadata to elucidate how bacterial
evolution influences disease progression and therapeutic response.
The postdoc will have the opportunity to collaborate closely with
computational biologists, microbiologists, and clinicians, and to
contribute to the design of follow-up functional validation
experiments. Required Qualifications, Competencies, And Experience
Ph.D. or all but dissertation for Ph.D. Preferred Qualifications,
Competencies, And Experience The ideal candidate will have a strong
background in microbial genomics, evolutionary biology,
bioinformatics, or computational biology, with an interest in
translational applications that connect bacterial evolution to
clinical impact. Experience in bacterial genomics or evolution is
preferred.
Keywords: UNC-Chapel Hill, Durham , Post-Doc Research Associate (Liu Lab), Science, Research & Development , Chapel Hill, North Carolina
