The Water Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks two post-doctoral fellows to join a vibrant and collaborative group working at the intersection of environmental engineering, microbiology, and global public health. Both positions are expected to begin in January 2027.
Position 1: Environmental microbiology and emerging methods. Working with PI Joe Brown, this fellow will contribute to a portfolio of projects measuring pathogens in environmental media (water, soil, and air) and in human stool. The fellow will develop, validate, and apply emerging methods for pathogen detection and quantification. The work will include designing sampling and analysis plans, organizing and overseeing laboratory work, analyzing and interpreting data, and working with partners across projects. Experience with quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) is a strong plus.
Position 2: Drinking water disinfection trial in Ghana. Working with PI Joe Brown and international partners, this fellow will support a new randomized controlled trial of drinking water disinfection in Ghana. The role involves substantial time in the field. It includes applied environmental health microbiology, evaluating water treatment technologies, and day-to-day project management: coordinating field teams and partners, overseeing data collection and quality, keeping to timelines, and reporting to stakeholders.
Roles & Responsibilities: Both fellows will lead peer-reviewed publications, contribute to grant proposals, and mentor and train graduate and undergraduate research assistants. They will also keep in regular contact with project partners and stakeholders. We seek colleagues who will actively help build a diverse, collaborative, positive, supportive, safe, and welcoming laboratory culture. We are a thriving and dynamic research group that prioritizes research excellence and a healthy work-life balance. Find out more about our work at http://tarheels.live/brown and https://waterinstitute.unc.edu.
Requirements: Candidates must hold a PhD in environmental microbiology, environmental sciences, environmental engineering, epidemiology, or a closely related field, and a strong record of peer-reviewed publications, including first-author papers. They should be well organized, detail-oriented, able to work independently, and interested in interdisciplinary team science. For Position 1, valuable skills include environmental sampling; molecular, culture-based, and sequencing-based analysis of environmental and clinical samples; method development; data analysis; and QMRA or other modeling. Position 2 requires international research experience, preferably in low- and middle-income settings. Valuable skills for Position 2 include field-based water quality and microbiology work, evaluating water treatment technologies, experience with field trials or intervention studies, and managing projects and teams. We seek creative thinkers.
To apply, please submit your application through the UNC portal at https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/325886. Say in your cover letter which position (or both) you are applying for. Please include:
- A brief cover letter describing your interests and motivation
- Curriculum vitae
- Names and full contact information for three references
- One example first-author publication in the peer-reviewed literature
Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until both positions are filled. Both positions are expected to start in January 2027, and start dates are negotiable. Please send any questions about the positions to Prof. Joe Brown at joebrown@unc.edu.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.