Post-Doctoral Associate - Friedenberg Lab

This individual will assist in establishing a research program at the intersection of animal genomics, artificial intelligence (AI), and veterinary medicine, building upon the College's existing strengths in genetics, genomics and infectious diseases while expanding into new areas of computational discovery.

This individual will also assist in developing the infrastructure, tools, and collaborations needed to integrate genomic, transcriptomic, imaging, and clinical data in ways that advance precision veterinary medicine, improve animal health and performance, and generate insights with translational relevance to human health within a One Health framework. Additionally, the individual will work towards securing major federal funding, creating scalable resources that enable AI-powered discovery, and training the next generation of veterinary data scientists.

Job Duties

80% - Research:
AI-Enabled Discovery in Veterinary Medicine
* Variant discovery and genome annotation: Apply deep learning and graph-based models to improve variant calling, transcriptome annotation, and functional prediction in veterinary-relevant species where reference resources remain incomplete.
* Pathology and imaging integration: Develop computer vision approaches for histopathology and radiology, linking image-derived features with genomic and clinical data to better characterize disease processes.
* Clinical and multi-omic data fusion: Build machine learning pipelines that integrate electronic medical record data, genomics (animal and microbial), and spatial transcriptomics to generate predictive models for disease risk, treatment response, and outcomes.

Building Genomic and Genetic Resources
* Equine pangenome and pantranscriptome development: Generate high-quality reference genomes and transcriptomic datasets across breeds to support performance, disease, and comparative biology studies.
* Canine telomere-to-telomere assemblies: Produce complete genome assemblies for multiple breeds, helping to position the CVM as a global leader in T2T resource generation and enabling precise mapping of complex traits.
* Genome resource hub: Work towards establishing a centralized program at CVM dedicated to large-scale animal genome assembly and curation, filling a critical gap at the University and creating infrastructure that benefits multiple Agriculture- and biomedical-relevant species.
*Pathogen and microbial genome resource analysis: Work towards providing infrastructure that supports bioinformatics of pathogens and microbial communities with the goal to prevent infectious diseases in agricultural species
* Translational applications: Leverage these genomic resources to identify disease-associated variants, improve diagnostic capabilities, and provide insights into animal and human health within a One Health framework.

10% - Teaching:
Course contributions - Deliver one graduate-level module annually in bioinformatics or machine learning; co-teach in existing departmental courses as needed.

10% - Service:
Shared bioinformatics pipelines: Develop and maintain containerized workflows for variant discovery, transcriptome annotation, and clinical data integration, accessible to CVM investigators.

Minimum Qualifications
* Advance degree in Veterinary Medicine/Genomics/Genetics
* One or more years of research training is required

The CVM's Veterinary Clinical Sciences Department advances veterinary medicine through clinical education and mentoring, specialized care of companion animals, and generating new knowledge through clinical research.

• Teaching
  Veterinary Clinical Sciences faculty members are responsible for a significant portion of the clinical training program for third- and fourth-year veterinary students, as well as small animal internship and residency programs. Faculty members also participate in the veterinary medicine and comparative and molecular biosciences graduate programs.
• Research
  Faculty and staff are actively involved in clinical and basic research, as well as specialized programs. Research efforts are supported by the Clinical Investigation Center, which coordinates clinical trials.
• Service and Outreach
  Veterinary Clinical Sciences faculty members provide collaborative clinical services in the Veterinary Medical Center using cutting-edge equipment and offer consultations and continuing education programs for practicing veterinarians in the community.

Pay Range: $61,008 to $80,000; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Please visit the Benefits for Postdoctoral Candidates website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training
• Medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

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The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

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