Duration: 1 year with potential reappointment for up to 2 additional years
Location: SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), Syracuse, NY
Salary: $59,000 annually, plus benefits ((https://benefits.rfsuny.org/regular–postdoctoral-employees/)

Position Description
The laboratory of Dr. Cynthia Downs (https://www.esf.edu/faculty/downs/index.php) at ESF seeks a Postdoctoral Associate to conduct comparative immunology research on an NSF-funded project in collaboration with Dr. Andreas Koenig (SUNY Upstate Medical University) and Dr. Jessica Brinkworth (University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign). The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team investigating neutrophil function across mammalian species. Projects will quantify neutrophil antibacterial functions and cellular energetics during ex vivo immune challenges to test hypotheses about how body mass shapes investment in immune defenses.

Primary Responsibilities (include, but are not limited to):

• Isolate neutrophils from whole blood and perform assays of antibacterial function.
• Quantify neutrophil cellular bioenergetics (e.g., metabolic flux/energetics assays).
• Profile signaling pathways during immune challenge using comparative transcriptomic approaches.
• Manage data, analyze results, and contribute to manuscript preparation.
• Mentor and supervise student(s) and/or technician(s).
• Contribute to theory-driven work within the group and develop grant proposals aligned with the project.
• Travel to animal care facilities for laboratory work (funded trips up to ~2 weeks each; ~5 trips in year one).
• Depending on prior experience, complete up to three months of training at UIUC.

Required Qualifications

• PhD (by start date) in immunology, microbiology, integrative organismal biology, or a closely related field.
• Hands-on experience with immunological and/or molecular techniques.
• Willingness to travel for training and sample collection and to work as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Strong motivation, independence, and collaborative mindset.

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency with aseptic technique, cell isolation from whole blood, and cell culture.
• Experience culturing microorganisms (including intracellular infection protocols) in and outside eukaryotic cells.
• Expertise with metabolic/energetic assays, metabolomics, or both.
• Experience with transcriptomics (wet lab and/or analytical workflows).
• Comfort with large datasets, Linux environments, and proficiency in R; experience with comparative analyses a plus.
• Familiarity with comparative evolutionary methods and allometric scaling theory, or a demonstrated willingness to learn.
• Record of research productivity (e.g., publications, preprints, conference presentations).

Application Procedure
Email a single PDF containing (1) cover letter, (2) CV, and (3) contact information for three references to Dr. Cynthia Downs at cjdowns@esf.edu. Please use the subject line “Postdoc Application – Comparative Immunology – [Your Last Name]” and name the file LastName_FirstName_Postdoc.pdf.

Timeline
Applications will be reviewed beginning August 18, 2025, and will be accepted until the position is filled. A preferred start date is mid-September 2025 (negotiable).

Equal Employment Opportunity
ESF is an AA/EOE committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive community.