Environmental Sampling Jobs in Indiana (NOW HIRING)

Posting Details

Position Details

Title
Postdoctoral Fellow in the Dept of Environmental & Occupational Health

Appointment Status
Non-Tenure Track

Department
IU Bloomington Environmental and Occupational Health

Location
Bloomington

Position Summary

A postdoctoral fellow position is available in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, under the direction of Dr. Drew Capone. This is a USDA grant-funded position. Three years of funding are available, and the position is potentially renewable after the first year depending on performance and funding availability. The position includes benefits (e.g., retirement contribution and health insurance). Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, but applications received by July 1, 2026 will be given full consideration, and the search will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. The earliest anticipated start date is August 1, 2026.

The post doc will join a multi-disciplinary team in Bloomington, Indiana, of microbiologists, virologists, environmental engineers, entomologists, biologists, and epidemiologists to work on a unique set of projects. The primary focus will be conducting environmental surveillance of surface water and blow flies for avian influenza in Indiana. Responsibilities will include field work to collect environmental samples, laboratory analysis using culture dependent and independent approaches, data management, and data analysis. Additional opportunities may include work on the Capone Lab's other domestic and international projects.

About Us

Dr. Drew Capone's research group (https://caponelab.publichealth.indiana.edu) has broad interests in environmental health microbiology. Current projects include public health surveillance using fecal waste streams, microbial fate and transport, the role of infrastructure in interrupting enteric pathogen transmission, and predicting public health outcomes using quantitative microbial risk assessment. Lab members conduct field research in Mozambique and Indiana, as well as wet lab work in Bloomington, Indiana. We use tools from engineering, epidemiology, and environmental health microbiology to investigate the problems affecting low-income individuals and aim to improve public health in the communities where these people live.

Institutional Environment

Located on the flagship campus of the Indiana University System, IU School of Public Health-Bloomington has over 200 faculty in five departments. Indiana University is classified as an R1-Highest Research Activity university, is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), and boasts numerous resources. IU School of Public Health-Bloomington combines aspects of a traditional university campus with a strong teaching focus and the research infrastructure of a research-intensive institution.

Basic Qualifications

Qualifications

The postdoctoral fellow position requires a PhD in environmental health, environmental engineering, environmental science, microbiology, or a related scientific field by the time of appointment. We are looking for candidates with:

• Experience with molecular microbiology methods (e.g., nucleic acid extraction, qPCR, dPCR) and quantitative data analysis
• Experience with metagenomic sequencing and bioinformatics
• Fieldwork experience, including environmental sampling
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• An interest in mentoring undergraduate, master's, and Ph.D. students

Department Contact for Questions

Questions pertaining to the PeopleAdmin application procedure may be directed to dwarcher@iu.edu. Questions regarding the position may be directed to Dr. Capone at dscapone@iu.edu.

Additional Qualifications

Responsibilities

The successful applicant will be expected to lead studies, mentor students, and generate new knowledge that is congruent with the overall goals of the laboratory. This includes designing experiments, analyzing data, and generating peer-reviewed publications. Resources are available for travel to scientific meetings, and formal training is available with regards to grant writing, research ethics, rigor and reproducibility, and research management. There will also be opportunities to develop independent research interests, write independent research proposals, and to gain expertise in environmental health microbiology, data analysis, project management, and academic writing.

Salary and Rank
Commensurate with Experience

Special Instructions

Application Procedure

Provide CV, cover letter summarizing research interests and fit for position, writing sample, and a list of three references. Interested candidates should submit applications at: https://indiana.peopleadmin.com.

For Best Consideration Date
07/01/2026

Expected Start Date
08/01/2026

Posting Number
IU-101586-2026