Post Dr Assoc

Academic Job Description

SIPS-Plant Breeding & Genetics

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.

The CALS School of Integrative of Plant Science (SIPS) encompasses five fields: Horticulture, Plant Biology, Plant Breeding & Genetics, Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology, and Soil and Crop Sciences. Combined there are 100+ faculty, ~200 undergraduate majors, 200+ graduate students in six fields, and 600+ other employees located in Ithaca, Geneva, and other satellite locations across New York State. The School offers the multidisciplinary undergraduate major in the Plant Sciences and is also home to the Agricultural Sciences major. School faculty also contribute to the Biology, Global Development, and Viticulture & Enology majors.

Position Function

This Postdoctoral Associate position will be within the Equitable Agricultural Research (EQUAL) Lab at Cornell. The position requires an experienced (>2 years) researcher to develop a study on perceptions, preferences and adoption behaviors of US farmers towards a novel biotechnology product. In the first project (CROPPS,70% of time) the Postdoctoral Associate will be required to design, implement and analyze state-wide (NY and California) surveys of farmers using behavioral economics methods in the field to gauge, risk perception, willingness to pay/accept (experimental auction) or willingness to adopt, preferences and tradeoffs associated with adoption of a new biotech product. In a second project (CO-BREED, 30% of time), the Postdoctoral Associate will also lead the design, implementation and analysis of a nation-wide survey around motivations and mechanisms for US organic farmer engagement in participatory plant breeding and research, and engagement with breeding programs.. The Postdoctoral Associate will work with a graduate student for both of these projects who will be conducting related research.

The position will be embedded in two projects: 1) The Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPS) project. CROPPS is a transdisciplinary team uniting faculty and trainees from the life sciences, engineering, computer science, and social sciences to pursue foundational discoveries, technological innovations, and social, ethical, and policy questions relating to Programmable Plant Systems (PPS). PPS are plants endowed with new capabilities to receive and transmit signals, enabling them to monitor and report on their environments, respond to external stimuli, and interact with other organisms and sensors. These breakthroughs create new connections between plants, people, microbes and the environment, making agriculture more adaptive, efficient, and sustainable. CROPPS unites participants from five land-grant institutions – Cornell University, University of Arizona (UA), University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC), Tuskegee University (TU), and Colorado State University (CSU) – and the Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI), with world leading capabilities and facilities for research and education. 2) CO-BREED (Collaborative Organic Breeding for Education, Engagement, and Discovery) will set up participatory plant breeding (PPB) networks for legume and vegetable crops to develop crop varieties adapted to organic farms across the US. Working with organic farmers, the team will breed African eggplant and a second emerging specialty vegetable for New American markets, specialty dry beans for the Northeast and Pacific Northwest, and winter-hardy peas for cover crop use. A national survey will examine farmer motivations for engaging in PPB. The project will train students and professionals through a graduate course, symposia, small student grants, continuing education, and Extension guides on intellectual property and seed regulations.

This is an in-person position. The successful candidate will be expected to relocate within commuting distance of Ithaca, NY.

Anticipated Division of Time

Research method development 20%

Field research 20%

Data analysis 30%

Writing 20%

Student Support 10%

Requirements

Required:

PhD in Behavioral Economics, Agricultural Economics or similar field

Experience working with primary data such as national agricultural datasets and/or census data.

Experience designing, implementing and analyzing surveys with farmers

Experience in quantitative econometric research design and data analysis, with a focus on causal inference and agricultural technology adoption.

Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.

Ability to travel within the US for fieldwork.

Driving required, must have and maintain a valid and unrestricted NY State Driver's License and be cleared for university business. Upon hire must register with Agile/Fleet Commander.

Preferred:

Experience using game-based, or product concept testing behavioral methods

Demonstrated experience engaging with US commodity or specialty crop grower groups

Demonstrated experience working in interdisciplinary teams with biophysical scientists

Experience supporting and mentoring graduate students

Supervision Exercised

There are no supervisory responsibilities for this position.

To apply:

Please apply via Academic Jobs Online (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/33257) .

Qualified candidates should submit a short cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references via the website.

Consistent with Cornell's practice, appointments to academic positions require candidates to disclose relevant information about their prior employment including whether they have been found to have violated institutional or employer policies related to or governing unlawful discrimination and harassment, academic and research misconduct, or financial misconduct.

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

CALS hiring range for this title is $63,480 to $65,000.

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.

Pay Range:

$62,232.00 - $88,745.00

Pay Ranges:

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

Prior relevant work or industry experience.

Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position.

Academic Discipline

Unique applicable skills.

Employment Assistance:

For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or email mycareer@cornell.edu.

If you require an accommodation for a disability in order to complete an employment application or to participate in the recruiting process, you are encouraged to contact Cornell Office of Civil Rights at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at accommodations@cornell.edu.

Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also request an appointment to use a dedicated workstation in the Office of Talent Attraction and Recruitment, at the Ithaca campus, by emailing mycareer@cornell.edu.

Notice to Applicants:

This notice contains important information about applying for a position at Cornell as well as some of your rights and responsibilities as an applicant.

EEO Statement:

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of "... any person ... any study." No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual's genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

2026-10-27

About Us

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League 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. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.