Jizhong Zhou

Postdoctoral Researcher in Soil Microbial Metagenomics and Climate Change at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , Department of Microbiology. This opportunity is in microbiology , microbial ecology , environmental science , soil metagenomics , and related bioinformatics /computational biology areas. The project is supported by a DOE-funded grant and is affiliated with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology , with close collaboration with the Institute for Environmental Genomics and the DOE Joint Genome Institute . The research will examine the impacts of long-term climate change on soil microbial communities and their functional dynamics, with emphasis on linking microbial diversity, genomic potential, and ecosystem processes. Possible approaches include metagenomic sequencing and analysis, genome-resolved metagenomics (MAG reconstruction, binning, annotation), long-read sequencing, epigenomics/DNA methylation analysis, integration of multi-omics datasets, and AI/machine learning for large environmental datasets. Eligibility highlights: a PhD in microbiology, microbial ecology, bioinformatics, environmental science, or a related field; candidates expecting to defend before the start date may apply. A strong publication record is expected. Experience with metagenomics, bioinformatics, microbial ecology, and/or computational biology is highly desirable, and familiarity with genome binning, MAG reconstruction, long-read sequencing, and epigenetics is a plus. Strong communication, organization, teamwork, and English proficiency are required. Funding is provided through a DOE-funded project. The post is a postdoctoral research appointment; no stipend amount is listed in the post. Application deadline: 2026-07-15 . To apply, contact Wei Qin and submit a cover letter, CV with two references, and PhD certificate or expected defense date.