The Wilson Lab seeks a Postdoctoral Associate for an NSF-funded project testing the hypothesis that mTORC1 acts as a master regulator of the aphid/Buchnera endosymbiosis. Aphids house Buchnera in specialized bacteriocytes and must coordinate bacterial population growth with their own development and reproduction across generations. We are asking whether a conserved nutrient-sensing pathway is the mechanism that makes that coordination possible — a question at the intersection of cell biology and the evolution that has not been addressed directly in any insect system.
 
The position is primarily laboratory-based, with a substantial computational component, and will be carried out as part of a collaborative research team.
 
Required qualifications
Ph.D. in cell biology, developmental biology, evolutionary biology or a related field at time of hire
Hands-on experience with confocal microscopy
Competence in applied statistics
A record of peer-reviewed publication
The ability to advance a project with limited day-to-day supervision, and to work productively in a multidisciplinary group

Desirable, but not expected
Experience analyzing high-throughput sequencing data
Microdissection and microinjection of insects
RNA-seq from small or dissected tissue samples
Insect performance and life-history assays

Candidates from any relevant background are encouraged to apply, whether or not they have previously worked on insects or symbiosis. What matters is curiosity about how endosymbioses are regulated and a willingness to work in a system where some of the tools are still being built. The successful candidate will join the Wilson Lab within the Host-Microbe Interactions (HoMI) Laboratory, which is part of the Symbiosis@UM cluster within the Department of Biology, on the Coral Gables Campus of the University of Miami.

What the position offers
The Postdoctoral Associate will contribute to publications as first author, have the opportunity to co-mentor undergraduate researchers, and receive support for conference travel. Candidates who wish to pursue independent fellowship funding are encouraged to do so and will be supported with mentoring plans, letters, and feedback on drafts. The University of Miami provides institutional access to career development resources for postdoctoral scholars.

Terms
The appointment is for one year, renewable annually for up to three years, contingent on satisfactory performance and continued availability of funds. Start as soon as September 1, 2026.

To apply
Please submit a CV and a cover letter, including the names of three referees. In the cover letter, describe your fit for the position and name one specific question about this system that you would want to answer, and how you would approach it. A full list of Wilson Lab publications is available on Google Scholar under Alex C C Wilson. https://careers.miami.edu/us/en/job/R100100315/Post-Doctoral-Associate-Biology

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