Post-Doc Research Associate (Kelada Lab)

Department : Genetics - 423501

Posting Open Date : 10 / 10 / 2025

Open Until Filled : Yes

Position Type : Postdoctoral Scholar

Position Title :

Post-Doc Research Associate (Kelada Lab)

Vacancy ID : PDS004674

Full-time / Part-time :

Full-Time Temporary

Hours per week : 40

FTE : Work Location :

Chapel Hill, NC

Position Location : North Carolina, US

Hiring Range : 64,000 - 74,000

Proposed Start Date :

01 / 05 / 2026

Estimated Duration of Appointment :

12 Months

Be a Tar Heel! :

A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities and is among is the top ten research universities in the nation for federal research expenditures as well as for federally funded social and behavioral sciences research and development.Here at Carolina, our highly skilled postdocs play a vital role in our research enterprise and towards our overall commitment to research excellence. Across many disciplines, postdocs contribute to the intellectual vitality of the University. They provide innovative ideas and perspectives, foster a stimulating research environment and advance knowledge within their fields. Postdocs are crucial members of our scientific research workforce, contributors to our research outputs and an important reason why Carolina is one of the leading public research institutions in the country.UNC-Chapel Hill offers postdocs comprehensive medical and vision coverage , paid leave, and benefits and services that support professional development and a healthy work / life balance. Chapel Hill regularly ranks as one of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, a reputation guided by the diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit :

The UNC School of Medicine has a rich tradition of excellence and care. Our mission is to improve the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians, and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research. We strive to promote faculty, staff, and learner development in a diverse, respectful environment where our colleagues demonstrate professionalism, enhance learning, and create personal and professional sustainability. We optimize our partnership with the UNC Health System through close collaboration and commitment to service.

OUR VISION

Our vision is to be the nation’s leading public school of medicine. We are ranked 2nd in primary care education among all US schools of medicine and 5th among public peers in NIH research funding. Our Allied Health Department is home to five top-ranked divisions, and we are home to 18 top-ranked clinical and basic science departments in NIH research funding.

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education, and research.

Patient Care : We will promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education : We will prepare tomorrow’s health care professionals and biomedical researchers by facilitating learning within innovative curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education. We will cultivate outstanding teaching and research faculty, and we will recruit outstanding students and trainees from highly diverse backgrounds to create a socially responsible, highly skilled workforce.

Research : We will develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers, and resources. We will provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our University to support outstanding research. We will foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic, and population research.

Position Summary :

The Kelada Lab is seeking a post-doctoral research associate to join their research program on the role of gene-environment interactions with air pollution in respiratory disease. We seek to uncover mechanistic links between the genome (e.g., DNA sequence variants), epigenome (chromatin accessibility), gene expression, and air pollutant-induced airway inflammation phenotypes in a mouse model system. More specifically, our project will leverage genetically diverse mice from the Collaborative Cross mouse genetics reference population to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) that influence response to the air pollutant ozone. In addition to QTL mapping of ozone response phenotypes, we will also analyze gene expression and chromatin accessibility in key cell types and identify expression and accessibility QTL that mediate the relationships between ozone exposure and response.

We are looking for an enthusiastic post-doctoral research associate to join this project and help lead efforts to generate and analyze these datasets. The post-doctoral research associate will have the opportunity to learn from lab members and other members of the genetics, pulmonary, and toxicology research communities at UNC, which are exceptionally strong. The post-doctoral research associate will also have the opportunity to work with a strong bioinformatics team at UNC to analyze genomic data, and the research project and environment will provide ample opportunities for training in these approaches. In addition to research, the post-doctoral research associate will be actively involved with writing scientific papers and presenting talks at scientific meetings.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements :

PhD in Genetics or a related field.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience :

Experience with quantitative genetic analysis (QTL mapping in particular)

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience :

Experience with mouse models of human disease

Experience with flow cytometry

Candidates should be self-motivated, enthusiastic, able to work in a teamwork environment, and have strong communication skills.

Special Instructions :

For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here

Please provide a sample of scientific writing from graduate training (e.g., published manuscript or chapter from dissertation) in the “Writing Sample” option for required documents.