Facilitate, coordinate, and engage in rigorous, collaborative research partnerships involving faculty and staff associated with the Tan Lab in the School of Biology and Ecology. This NSF-funded Postdoctoral Research Fellow position will advance their professional development as a researcher and scholar while contributing to the larger goals of the plant synthetic biology research program at UMaine along with collaborators on this project. Principal duties of the position will include: 1) planning and conducting original research activities related to plant minichromosome engineering while working collaboratively with team members on the project, 2) leading, designing and facilitating bioinformatics analyses of project goals that include using ultra-long sequencing for telomere-to-telomere genome assemblies, comparative transcriptomics and epigenomic analyses, as well as single-cell’omics approaches to studying genome stability, 3) preparing manuscripts for publication and presenting research findings at professional meetings and workshops, and 4) participating in identifying and submitting funding proposals in support of plant genetic engineering research activities. We are a research team composed of faculty, students, and professionals that collaborate on research projects focused on chromosome engineering and plant breeding. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will contribute to multi-omics research related to minichromosome in plants, primarily utilizing the Arabidopsis plant model to characterize, manipulate and stabilize these non-essential chromosomal structures. The Fellow will be working in a diverse interdisciplinary team composed of faculty, staff and students as part of the NSF-DBT collaborative project and be the lead on bioinformatic needs for the project. Typical hiring salary for this part-time, 24 hours per week, soft-money funded position is $40,200 commensurate with qualifications and experience. Complete Job Description (https://drive.google.com/file/d/18VAeHh9Pp9kqrEehupepOSiOiKkMUleB/view?usp=sharing) About the University: The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the University of Maine System's flagship institution. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research and service for Maine, the nation and the world. More information about UMaine is at umaine.edu. The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options. UMaine is located in beautiful Central Maine. Many employees report that a primary reason for choosing to come to UMaine is quality of life. Numerous cultural activities, excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, high quality medical care, little traffic, and a reasonable cost of living make the greater Bangor area a wonderful place to live. Visit the Maine Office of Tourism (https://themainehighlands.com/places-to-visit/greater-bangor-region/) to learn more about what the Bangor region has to offer. Qualifications: Required: + A completed PhD in Genomics, Plant Science, Bioinformatics, or a related field by start date. + Strong bioinformatics, quantitative skills and prior research experience involving genomics, proteomics or metabolomics analysis as well as statistical analysis of big data. + Demonstrated ability to develop and publish manuscripts. + Demonstrated strong oral communication skills. + Ability to work independently as well as proven experience working effectively with faculty and graduate students in a team environment. Preferred: + Prior experience working in plant genomics. + Familiarity with analysis of RNAseq, Ultralong Sequencing, DNA methylation and single-cell’omics data. + Familiarity with conducting plant genetics research. + Knowledge of R, command line tools, Git, HPC-usage and developing pipelines for quality and reproducibility. + Potential for securing external funding to support research. + Potential for community engagement through research, participation in outreach events, and service at local, state, or national levels. Other Information: To be considered for this position you will need to “Apply” and upload the documentation listed below: 1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position 2.) a resume/curriculum vitae Candidates selected to proceed to the final stages of the search process will be requested to provide a list of names and contact information for references. Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University. For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. EST on February 25, 2026. For questions about the search, please contact search committee chair E. Han Tan (ek.tan@maine.edu) . The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening. The University of Maine System (the System) is an equal opportunity institution committed to fostering a nondiscriminatory environment and complying with all applicable nondiscrimination laws. Consistent with State and Federal law, the System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran or military status in any aspect of its education, programs and activities, and employment. The System provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you believe you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you are encouraged to contact the System Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services at 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, Orono, ME 04469-5713, by calling 207.581.1226, or via TTY at 711 (Maine Relay System). For more information about Title IX or to file a complaint, please contact the UMS Title IX Coordinator at www.maine.edu/title-ix/. Clery Act The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, such as the University, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report, (ASR) and provide notice of the availability of the ASR to all prospective employees. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University’s crime statistics for the past three calendar years; and disclosures regarding the University’s current campus security policies. You may view the University’s Annual Security Report (https://umaine.edu/police/clery-annual-safety-report/) . If you wish to have a paper copy of the ASR or you need to have a copy of the ASR in an accessible format, the University will provide such a copy upon request. Please contact: UMaine Police Department, 81 Rangeley Rd., The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5794, or call 207.581.4053.