Assistant Research Professor

Position Function:

The Northern Gulf Institute (NGI) at Mississippi State University seeks an Assistant Research Professor to lead advanced research on developing ‘omics applications, such as metabarcoding and population genomics, to support fisheries management and ecosystem assessments. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (AOML) and other marine institutes, providing expertise in research, design, and development of innovative, comprehensive research products.

Salary Grade:  UC

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges.  For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

Department Profile:

The Northern Gulf Institute (NGI) is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Institute comprised of six academic institutions that are geographically distributed across the U.S. Gulf Coast states. The six NGI member institutions are Mississippi State University (lead), the University of Southern Mississippi, Florida State University, Louisiana State University, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and the Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory. Together with NOAA and in support of their strategic plan, NGI conducts research on interconnections among Gulf of Mexico environments, habitats, resources, and people and engages in outreach to help others learn about and make decisions based on these interconnections.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

● Lead the analysis, writing, and publication of marine genomics datasets from the Atlantic and Gulf of America regions.
● Develop research proposals that attain funding for projects related to fisheries and microbiome applications, monitoring ecosystems, and environmental change.
● Coordinate and correspond with NOAA line offices, programs, and laboratories, specifically AOML, to leverage genomic data for applications in fisheries management and ecosystem monitoring initiatives.
● Develop systems to create and improve data management processes.
● Coordinate with international, federal, and state institutions on best practices for ‘omics data management and publication.
● Supervise and assist NGI/CIMAS/NOAA researchers with analysis of genomic datasets.
● Develop training materials and tutorials to increase workforce competency.
● Publish manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and datasets in global data repositories.
● Present research findings at scientific conferences and workshops.
● Communicate research results to audiences including marine managers and stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Ph.D. in Marine Science, Evolutionary Biology, Computer Science, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, or related field.
2. 5+ years of relevant research experience beyond Ph.D. with significant professional accomplishments.
3. Environmental DNA or environmental microbiology research experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

1. Strong publication record including first-author publications in peer-reviewed journals.
2. Demonstrated ability to supervise and mentor junior researchers and staff.
3. Proficient with programming languages for bioinformatics and data analysis (e.g., Python, R, Bash).
4. Knowledge of Gulf of America and Atlantic Ocean marine ecosystems.
5. Experience in outreach and science communication to non-technical audiences.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

● Proficiency with data science programming (Python and/or R) and Unix command line.
● Experience with computational workflows and high-performance computing environments.
● Strong written and oral communication skills.
● Ability to lead and work collaboratively in interdisciplinary teams.
● Capabilities for acquiring, budgeting, and managing research allocations and funding.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort

Occasional and/or light lifting required. Limited exposure to elements such as heat, cold, noise, dust, dirt, chemicals, etc., but none to the point of being disagreeable. May involve minor safety hazards where likely result would be cuts, bruises, etc.

Routine deadlines, usually sufficient lead time; variance in work volume predictable; priorities can be anticipated; some interruptions are present; involves occasional exposure to demands and pressure from persons other than immediate supervisor.

Job frequently requires standing, walking, climbing or balancing, stooping/kneeling/crouching/crawling and lifting up to 50 pounds.

Vision requirements: Ability to see information in print and/or electronically, ability to distinguish colors.

Instructions for Applying:

Link to apply:  http://explore.msujobs.msstate.edu/

Apply online by submitting a cover letter, resume, and a copy of your transcript(s). Any social security numbers included on requested transcripts should be redacted prior to submitting online.
Apply online at jobs.msstate.edu

Restricted Clause:

Position is contingent upon continued availability of funding.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Mississippi State University is an equal opportunity institution. Discrimination is prohibited in university employment, programs or activities based on race, color, ethnicity, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, or any other status to the extent protected by applicable law. Questions about equal opportunity programs or compliance should be directed to the Office of Civil Rights Compliance, 231 Famous Maroon Band Street, P.O. 6044, Mississippi State, MS 39762, (662) 325-5839.

What do I do if I need an accommodation?

In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position with Mississippi State University, please contact the Department of Human Resources Management at tel: (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, contact the Department of Human Resources Management at (662) 325-3713 or ada@hrm.msstate.edu. Upon request, sections of this job listing are available in large print, and readers are available to assist the visually impaired.