CIHMID Postdoctoral Fellow Training Program
The Cornell Institute of Host-Microbe Interactions and Disease (CIHMID; http://cihmid.cornell.edu) is pleased to announce a new call for postdoctoral fellows to study host-microbe interactions. CIHMID postdocs are supported for three years to develop research programs in collaboration with two or more labs at Cornell and will be provided with professional development opportunities during the academic year and summer. CIHMID postdocs are expected to have intellectual ownership of their projects and may use their support to build bridges across different disciplines of study. Studied host-microbe interactions may be pathogenic or beneficial; microbial partners may be bacterial, viral or fungal; eukaryotic hosts may be animal or plant. Supporting a diverse portfolio of research systems and questions is an explicit goal of the training program. The program is supported by a training grant from the US National Institutes of Health (T32 AI145821) and appointments are made through competitive application. For more information, including instructions on how to apply, please visit http://cihmid.cornell.edu/cihmid-opportunities/cihmid-postdoctoral-fellows-program. Review of applications will begin on Dec 1, 2021.
Trainee Support - Trainees will be supported for up to 3 years of
appointment, conditional on continued satisfactory progress and meeting of
program expectations.
- Trainee salary is paid on the NIH scale with
health benefits provided.
- Trainees will be provided with up to $10,000 per
year in discretionary spending. If the trainee obtains an external fellowship
that covers the cost of their appointment, the discretionary allowance will be
increased to $15,000 per year for the portion of the CIHMID training program
appointment that is supported externally.
Mentoring Structure- Prior to applying to the program, applicants must identify two or more labs with which to collaborate, selected at the discretion of the trainee. Rationale for choosing labs may include opportunity for complementary training experience, cross-disciplinary skills development, access to distinct technologies, or other attributes. The Principal Investigator of the primary lab must be a CIHMID faculty member, listed at https://cihmid.cornell.edu/people. Minor labs can be drawn from the entire Cornell community. The Plan of Proposed Research component of the application should address the logic for choosing the collaborating labs, making clear that the applicant will have intellectual independence and ownership of their project. Project effort associated with the minor lab(s) can vary from 10% to 50%, and may vary over the duration of the project. If the PI of the primary lab is an Assistant Professor, then the PI of a minor lab must have tenure and a mentoring commitment of at least 30%.
- Within two months of initiating the appointment, trainees will identify a 3-member faculty mentoring committee, at least one of whom is not a formal advisor. The mentoring committee will develop an Individual Professional Development Plan with the trainee and will meet with the trainee at least twice per year to discuss professional progress and goals.
Program Features and
Expectations- All program participants are required to
complete approved training in ethics and responsible conduct of research.
- Trainees are encouraged to join the CIHMID
Postdoctoral Association. The Postdoctoral Association is a socialand
professional community organized by postdocs in CIHMID labs.
- CIHMID postdocs are encouraged to participate in,
and take leadership roles in, journal clubs and supergroups such as Virology
Journal Club, Microbiology
Journal Club, Ecology
and Evolution of Infectious Disease (EEID) Journal Club, Microbiome
Supergroup, and Symbiosis
& Cooperation Supergroup.
- Trainees are offered the opportunity to mentor
undergraduate students in research, in collaboration with the CIHMID
Undergraduate Research Experience program.
- All trainees are required to give at least one
oral presentation per year, either on the Cornell campus or at a national or
international conference. Program leadership will help trainees identify and
access appropriate venues.
- Logistical and financial support is provided for
trainees to invite external speakers to visit Cornell. Trainees serve as the
hosts for these visits and members of the postdoctoral and graduate communities
have priority access to meeting with speakers.
- Trainees may be offered voluntary opportunity to
teach small undergraduate courses and/or lead topical workshops according to
their interest and career goals.
- The training program enables additional career
and professional development opportunities, including:
o
Guidance in applying and interviewing for
academic and nonacademic jobs to follow the postdoctoral appointment, including
multiple rounds of feedback on application materials, opportunity to give
practice job talks and chalk talks, and practice interviews with Cornell
faculty. o
Workshops on writing grants and fellowship
applications, as well as on the grant review process at federal funding
agencies. o
Workshops on practical elements of running a
research lab, with topics including mentoring strategies and styles, financial
aspects of running a lab, and strategies for establishing priorities and
objectives and maintaining focus on them. o Training in leadership and mentoring,
o
Training and experiential workshops on diversity,
equity and inclusion in the STEM fields and beyond. Application and Eligibility - Review of applications will begin on Dec. 1, 2021. Because this program is funded by the US National Institutes of Health, it is only open to US citizen and permanent residents.
- Applications will consist of a Cover Letter, CV, Plan of Proposed Research, and a brief statement describing how the applicant will contribute to Cornell’s campus culture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. A Statement of Support is required from each prospective mentor, and candidates should arrange for two Letters of Reference that do not come from prospective mentors.
- The Plan of Proposed Research should be a maximum of 4.5 pages in length and should consist of the following sections: Previous and Proposed Research (3 pages max), Professional Objectives (1 page max), and Meaningful Publication (0.5 page max). The description of Previous and Proposed Research should be written for a knowledgeable but non-expert audience, and should describe the proposed project in sufficient detail that it can be evaluated. The Previous and Proposed Research should also contain some explanation of how the applicant’s prior research experience positions them to be successful with the proposed work. The Professional Objectives section should describe the applicant’s long-term professional goals and should explain how an appointment as a CIHMID postdoctoral fellow would help them to reach those goals. The Meaningful Publication section should highlight one paper published by the applicant. The narrative can be used to explain why this publication represents the applicant’s research program particularly well, why it is especially important to the applicant, or why the applicant is especially proud of it.
- CIHMID and Cornell embrace diversity and have an expectation that all members of our campus community will contribute to a climate that supports equity and inclusion of students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds (https://cihmid.cornell.edu/commitment-to-diversity-equity-and-inclusion; https://hr.cornell.edu/our-culture-diversity/diversity-inclusion). Accordingly, every applicant should provide a statement that describes their philosophies and prior or proposed activities with respect to diversity, equity and inclusion. Personal affiliation with an underrepresented group is not a requirement of eligibility for this fellowship, but we strongly encourage applications from individuals who identify with underrepresented and/or marginalized groups, who come from backgrounds of disadvantage, or who are differently abled.
- Statements of Support from prospective mentors should be submitted by the prospective mentors directly into the job application portal. These statements can be brief, but they should describe commitment to mentoring the applicant and a description of how the mentoring team intends to foster intellectual independence and achievement of career goals by the applicant. Applicants must enter the names and email addresses of each mentor into the AJO application portal as “reference writers” in order to trigger automatic solicitation of the support letters. It is also acceptable for a single letter co-signed by the entire mentoring team to be submitted.
- Two Letters of Reference that do not come from prospective mentors should be submitted directly by the recommenders into the AJO application portal. These letters should emphasize the qualifications of the applicant for a CIHMID fellowship.
- A full CV and brief cover letter should be uploaded by the applicant into the application portal
Requirements: Applicants must hold a Ph.D. at the time the appointment begins. Applicants who are already established at Cornell will be considered only if they are changing labs or substantially changing projects. Candidates will be selected based on track record and career promise, merit of the proposed project, and alignment with CIHMID priorities. Each of these factors is given approximately equal consideration in the selection process. Equal Opportunity/Affirmative
Action Employer and Educator
Cornell University is an Equal
Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and Educator Cornell University is an
academic community committed to diversity, inclusiveness and a welcoming
environment for its faculty, staff, and students. Consistent with this commitment,
qualified individuals are considered for employment and employees are treated
during employment without regard to any legally protected status, including
age, race, creed, color, ex-offender status, national origin, citizenship,
sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military status, sex,
disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, domestic
violence victim status, or protected veteran status. I understand that if I
become employed at Cornell University it is the University's expectation that I
will comply with all anti-discrimination laws and support the University's
commitment to diversity and inclusion. If you’d like more information about
your EEO rights as an applicant under the law, view:
https://hr.cornell.edu/our-culture-diversity/diversity-inclusion eeoc.gov Equal Employment
Opportunity is the Law
dol.gov "EEO is the Law"
Poster Supplement
Application Details
The application will consist of: a cover letter, CV, plan of proposed research (3 pages maximum, excluding references), a statement of support from all prospective advisors, 2 letters of recommendation that do not come from the Major or Minor labs (to be submitted directly by the recommenders), and a Statement of contribution to diversity, equity and inclusion. There is no expectation that applicants will identify themselves as members of underrepresented groups. However, Cornell as an institution has an expectation that all members of our campus community support diversity and inclusion, and applicant statements should describe their philosophies and activities in that regard. All components of the application must be submitted through the application portal. Contact information for reference letter writers should be entered online and recommenders will be automatically solicited to submit their recommendations. Prospective advisors should email their letter of support directly to Brian Lazzaro at bplazzaro@cornell.edu.
Employment Assistance: 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 University's Department of Inclusion and Workforce Diversity at voice (607) 255-3976, fax (607) 255-7481, or email at owdi@cornell.edu. For general questions about the position or the application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting. Applicants that do not have internet access are encouraged to visit your local library, or local Department of Labor. You may also visit the office of Workforce Recruitment and Retention Monday - Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to use a dedicated workstation to complete an online application. Notice to Applicants: Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. 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: Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans and Individuals with Disabilities. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations. 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.
Employment Assistance:
For specific questions about the position or application process, please contact the Recruiter listed in the job posting or for general questions 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 University's Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX at voice (607) 255-2242, or email at equity@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. Please read the required Notice to Applicants statement by clicking here. 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: Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, 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. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law. Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.
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 (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)
- Unique applicable skills.
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