Postdoctoral Researcher - Phenomics & Genomics

Postdoctoral Researcher - Phenomics & Genomics

Who We Are + What We Do

The Land Institute co-leads the global movement for perennial, diverse, regenerative grain agriculture at a scale that matches the enormity of the intertwined climate, water, and food security crises. An independent 501c3 non-profit founded in 1976, the organization seeks to reconcile the human economy with nature's economy, starting with food. The transdisciplinary team of scientists, together with global partners, are developing new perennial grain crops, like Kernza©, and diverse cropping systems that function within nature's limits while researching the social transformation required for a just, perennial human future.

Position Summary

The Land Institute and collaborators secured funding to compare the efficacy of Phenomic and Genomic Selection (PS and GS) and hybrid approaches in Thinopyrum intermedium and Silphium integrifolium breeding programs.  PS is a relatively new approach to predictive breeding that could dramatically reduce costs, but it has not yet been fully validated. The multi-institutional project team has been working together since 2022 and has generated a wealth of field and other data, and some promising early results. We seek a postdoctoral associate to build, validate, optimize, analyze, and publish GS & PS models and to work with other project personnel to compare GS, PS, and mixed models for their utility in new crop domestication. 

Primary Responsibilities + Expectations

• Coordinate genotyping and develop the first GS models in Silphium.
• Collaborate with project personnel to update PS models in Silphium and Thinopyrum.
• Develop analytical approaches to allow direct comparisons of different types of high-dimensional datasets for estimating relationships between individuals independent of specific trait predictions.
• Critically evaluate project assumptions, strategies, and data, suggesting alternatives and additional tests, as necessary.
• Disseminate project results through publications and presentations.
• Track new developments in PS and GS and help the team plan future projects, including the translation of results into practical breeding methods.

Additional Opportunities

• Collaborate on other Silphium and Thinopyrum publications and projects.
• Assist with the development of Thinopyrum pangenome resources.
• Participate in home/host institutional events, trainings, and committees as time permits.

Who You Are

• PhD in genomics, plant breeding, bioinformatics, or a related field.
• Excellent writing, communication, organization, and collaboration skills.
• Significant experience in computational biology.
• Experience with image feature identification, selection, and use in machine learning, or an interest and ability to acquire these skills.
• Ability to build and validate GS and PS models, or to quickly master these skills.
• Motivation to lead the writing, submission, and completion of peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with individuals across diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and life experiences

Because phenomic selection is in its infancy, success in this position will require a creative strategy that repurposes tools and approaches from established fields.  Similarly, the focal plant species of this project are new crops with many gaps in basic knowledge and some known challenges, such as large genomes and outcrossing. This situation should appeal to someone who enjoys novelty and trailblazing, but success will also require a persistent/stubborn streak and the ability to troubleshoot. 

Organizational Competencies

• Mission Driven: You are passionate about the mission of The Land Institute and are interested in aligning your skills and personal genius to benefit this work.
• Courageous: You do not retreat or shy away from hard things. You face challenges and conflict with professionalism, grace, and resolve.
• A Boundary Spanner: You bring an interdisciplinary skill set and you model self-awareness in your own preferences. You are motivated to always be learning and you adapt to span boundaries with people across a range of different perspectives.
• Inspiring and Inspired: You are inspired by the people around you, finding and harnessing the genius in your colleagues to meet the organizational objectives, and you are inspiring to others through example and your own genius applied.
• Growth Mindset: You have the vulnerability to know what you don’t know, admit your flaws, and learn from others to grow and develop yourself and the organization.
• A Creative Collaborator: You believe in the power of a diverse collective to generate ideas and solutions. You excel at strategic thinking, being open to new perspectives, and managing innovation. You bring a playful, positive approach to the work and like meeting new people and deepening connections with those you already know.
• Excited by change: You embrace nascent and evolving situations and enjoy engaging new people, ideas, and possibilities. You think about change holistically: internal, external, organizational, and cultural. You like iterating systems, building efficiency, and operationalizing design.  You are willing to jump in and contribute to new projects as needed. 

Hours

Generally available to work forty hours per week, including in-person and digital meetings, primarily from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Central Time on weekdays when most of our staff and collaborators are working. Some evening and weekend work will be required. We are flexible for caregivers who might need to provide rides or support, attend appointments, or be available for caregiving.

Location + Travel

The position requires access to computing resources and, therefore, must be located at The Land Institute, Salina, KS, or at another plant breeding/plant genomics institute or department where visiting scholar status, or the equivalent, can be negotiated. Domestic travel may be required for project retreats, TLI annual gatherings, or to present results at professional conferences.

Environmental + Working Conditions

Prolonged periods of computer work

Compensation + Benefits

The Land Institute offers an excellent benefits package and a competitive salary commensurate with experience. 

The salary range for this position is $57,000 - $71,000 annually.

●    Remote-friendly work environment

●    Paid parental leave

●    Competitive, equitable compensation

●    403(b) Retirement 

●    403(b) Employer contributions

●    Health Insurance

●    Dental Insurance

●    Vision Insurance 

●    Employer-Provided Life Insurance

●    Flexible Spending Account

●    Dependent Care

●    Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance

●    Voluntary Life Insurance

●    Accidental Insurance

●    Critical Illness Insurance

●    Employee Assistance Program 

●    Paid holidays

●    Generous paid time off

●    Complete laptop workstation and set up for remote work

To Apply

To be considered for this position, click " Apply " below and submit a resume/CV and cover letter. Review of applications will begin May 26, 2026.

The Land Institute is an equal opportunity employer and embraces the opportunity to provide employment to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information. We are pleased to provide reasonable accommodations to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.