- Manhattan, Kansas, United States
- Staff Full Time (Unclassified - Term)
- Closing at: Aug 24 2026 - 23:55 CDT
The Department of Agronomy is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate to conduct innovative research in soil fertility, nutrient management, and applied data science. The successful candidate will contribute to multidisciplinary research focused on improving nutrient use efficiency, crop productivity, and environmental sustainability across major cropping systems. The position offers opportunities to integrate field research, statistical modeling, extension, and scientific communication while collaborating with faculty, students, producers, and industry partners.
The Department of Agronomy, together with the Research and Extension Centers, provides statewide leadership for teaching, research, and extension activities in plant breeding, crop production, range science, soil science, and weed sciences and contributes substantially to activities in genetics, water science, and environmental sciences.
This position is On-site.
All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.
Minimum Qualifications:
- PhD in Soil Fertility, Nutrient Management, Data Science or related field.
- Demonstrated expertise in soil fertility, nutrient management, and field research.
- Experience designing, implementing, and managing multi-location agronomic experiments.
- Strong quantitative skills with experience in statistical analysis and programming using R or similar software.
- Record of scientific writing and publications or strong potential for publication.
- Valid driver's license.
The degree requirement is necessary to ensure candidates possess the specialized knowledge, skills and abilities that can only be attained through a formal educational program at this level.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and independently manage research projects.
- Graduate-level training or experience in statistics, data science, machine learning, or predictive modeling.
- Experience with nutrient calibration and correlation studies, nutrient use efficiency, soil fertility diagnostics, and long-term fertility experiments.
- Experience translating scientific information into extension or outreach materials communication.
- Experience mentoring students and supervising research personnel.
- Experience collaborating with producers, industry partners, and extension programs.
- Ability to synthesize complex datasets into practical management recommendations.
- Excellent project management and organizational skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills and commitment to collaborative research.
- Commitment to scientific integrity, innovation, and professional development.
Additional Role Information:
Sponsorship eligibility:
This position is eligible for sponsorship
Please submit the following documents:
- Letter of interest
- CV
- Name, email address, and phone numbers for three professional references
Applications close on:August 24, 2026
$60,000 - $70,000
Kansas State University offers a supportive and inclusive community, dedicated to your professional growth. While specific benefits may vary by position, many roles come with comprehensive packages that support your well-being and work-life balance, including health and life insurance, retirement plans, and generous paid time off. To learn more about benefits that are available for various positions, visit our benefits overview page.
Employees must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of employment. International candidates who require employer-sponsored work authorization are welcome to apply. Eligibility for visa sponsorship depends on several factors, including but not limited to, the job’s occupational requirements, specific duties, wage level, the candidate’s qualifications (such as degree field) and available departmental resources. As a result, not all positions or applicants will be eligible for sponsorship.
Kansas State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.
Some positions are eligible for remote or hybrid working arrangements. An employee who is working in a remote or hybrid capacity for K-State must reside within the United States in order to comply with all federal and state laws, filings, or tax requirements. Remote and hybrid work arrangements are not available for anyone who resides in the state of Idaho.
Kansas participates in the MakeMyMove program, which connects eligible newcomers with participating communities offering financial incentives, housing support, and local perks to help make your move easier and more rewarding. If relocating from outside of Kansas you can visit the site to apply online for the program incentives.
Upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment, a candidate may be subject to a background check per K-State’s background check policy.
Kansas State University honors interview preferences for qualified applicants who are veterans or individuals with disabilities. Eligible applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, submit all required application materials, and submit required preference documentation by the closing date on the job advertisement will be granted a first-level interview.
The disability and veteran interview preferences do not apply to student employment positions, temporary positions, athletics positions, academic and administrative department heads*, positions that require licensure as a physician, and positions that require that the employee be admitted to practice law in Kansas.
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To learn more about interview preferences at K-State, please visit our interview preferences page.
