Position Description

Academic Job Description

Horticulture Section

School of Integrative Plant Science

Postdoctoral Associate

 The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and Cornell University’s second largest college. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education, and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: We believe that achieving next-generation scientific breakthroughs requires an understanding of the world’s complex, interlocking systems. We believe that access to nutritious food and a healthy environment is a fundamental human right. We believe that ensuring a prosperous global future depends on the ability to support local people and communities everywhere. By working in and across multiple scientific areas, CALS can address challenges and opportunities of the greatest relevance, here in New York, across the nation, and around the world.

Position Function         

The EQUIP Lab, led by Dr. Mariel Pfeifer at Cornell University, is seeking a Postdoctoral Associate with expertise in qualitative and/or mixed methods research. Our lab is passionate about conducting research that helps transform STEM education and career training. A major focus of our work is studying how undergraduate STEM courses can be tailored to meet the needs of all learners. Current projects involve studying STEM instructor perceptions of student-centered learning as well as how students from backgrounds traditionally considered “outside” the academy experience and engage in STEM learning and career training. The postdoctoral associate will contribute to existing projects and will also have the opportunity to develop independent or collaborative lines of research aligned with the lab’s mission. The successful candidate will play a major role in the design and execution of qualitative and mixed methods research, working both independently and collaboratively with members of the lab and research partners across institutions. The postdoctoral associate will:

•Lead and contribute to research design, data collection, and analysis

•Author manuscripts and present at academic conferences

•Co-mentor undergraduate researchers, with support and guidance

•Actively contribute to a collaborative lab culture, including providing feedback on ongoing work and participating in lab meetings

We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experience, including those who are still developing expertise in some of the areas described above. We are committed to fostering a supportive research environment. You can read more about our mentoring approaches. Depending on the postdoctoral associate’s interests and career goals, additional mentorship in areas such as grant writing, teaching, and science communication will be available. The postdoctoral associate will join a growing community of discipline-based education researchers at Cornell University. Our community meets regularly and offers opportunities for feedback, professional development, and collaboration.

Anticipated Division of Time

80% EQUIP-lab-related research, mentoring, writing papers, preparing presentations, and research-related administration.

20% Furthering their own scholarly work or professional development.

Requirements

Applicants must have a PhD in biology education research, STEM education research, discipline-based education research (DBER), or a closely related field by date of appointment.

This is a full-time, in-person position based in Ithaca, NY. The start date is negotiable, with a preferred start no later than Fall 2026.

Supervision Exercised

This position will not supervise anyone

To apply:

Please apply via Academic Jobs Online (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31909">https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/31909).

Qualified candidates should submit a short cover letter (max 1 page), curriculum vitae,  contact information for three references, research statement* and a writing sample**via the website. 

* The Research Statement should be organized using clear headings for each section as follows:

i. Research Experience
Describe your methodological expertise and provide an example demonstrating your ability to take initiative or work independently to advance a research project.

ii. Collaborative Practice
Describe your experience with research collaboration. You may address how you negotiate roles, handle disagreements (e.g., over data interpretation), or approach shared authorship/credit. If you have not yet had extensive collaborative experience, please describe how you would approach this type of work.

iii. Mentorship & Leadership
Describe your approach to mentoring undergraduate or graduate researchers and/or taking on leadership roles. If you have not had formal mentorship experience, discuss how you would approach mentoring and what strategies you would aim to use.

**Please submit a 1–2 page writing sample in response to one of the prompts below. 

Option 1. Teaching Challenge & Interview Protocol Design
i. Describe a teaching challenge you have experienced or witnessed in STEM education. What makes this challenge significant, and how does it affect learners or instructors?

ii. Propose 3–5 interview questions you would ask a participant (e.g., student, instructor, or other stakeholder) to better understand how they experience or respond to this challenge. Briefly explain what you hope to learn from these questions.

Option 2. Research Proposal Snapshot

i. Outline a concise proposal for a postdoctoral research project you would like to pursue. Identify the central research question, explain its significance, and briefly describe your proposed approach or methodology. 

Applications will be reviewed as received, continuing until a suitable applicant is identified.

CALS hiring rate for this title is $63,480.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Life. Changing.

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League and Land-grant university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students, and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery, and engagement.

Cornell’s regional and global presence includes state-wide Cornell Cooperative Extension programs and offices in all counties and boroughs, global partnerships with institutions and communities engaged in life-changing research and education, the medical college’s campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, and the Cornell Tech campus on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

With a founding principle of “any person, any study,” Cornell is an equal opportunity employer.