Postdoctoral Associate Jobs in California
Postdoctoral associate jobs in California are concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where institutions like UC San Francisco, Caltech, and Stanford University maintain some of the country's most active postdoctoral programs in life sciences, bioengineering, and computational biology. Demand is strongest for researchers with expertise in cancer biology, neuroscience, and machine learning applications in the biomedical space, reflecting California's deep concentration of research universities and biotech anchors. Openings range from early postdocs fresh from doctoral programs to senior postdoctoral fellows stepping toward independent investigator roles. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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The Dr. Zhiheng He Lab in the Department of Immunology and Immune Therapeutics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC is looking for a full-time Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate to join our new, creative, and dynamic research team. The focus of Dr. He’s lab is to study the roles of T lymphocyte during autoimmunity and infection. The job responsibilities include:
- To independently undertake research in the relevant discipline area using the appropriate methods and/or techniques.
- To produce research reports and/or publications as required by the funding body or for dissemination to the wider academic community.
- To collaborate with research colleagues and support staff internally as appropriate to the research and to actively develop appropriate external contacts and networks relevant to the project and to future funding opportunities.
- To provide guidance and support to any students associated with the project.
- To attend, contribute, and where necessary lead relevant meetings.
- To ensure that responsibilities identified within internal processes such as Health and Safety guidelines etc. are robustly met by all research team members.
- To take responsibility for planning and developing research methods and techniques within the framework of the research program.
- To contribute to relevant teaching activities within the department.
- To undertake any other duties relevant to the program of research.
Qualifications/Experience
- Preferred Education: The final candidate must have a PhD or equivalent doctorate. A copy of the doctoral diploma or other certification that indicates that the terminal degree has been completed satisfactorily is required. If the doctoral candidate has not yet obtained a degree, he/she should provide evidence that a thesis has been approved together with a documented indication of the expected date of formal graduation.
- Preferred Experience: Experience working with murine models and flow cytometry.
- Preferred Field of Expertise: Publications in peer-reviewed journals in immunology or related field.
The annual base salary range for this position is $70,304.04 - $73,480. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
Minimum education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate within previous three years Minimum experience: 0-1 year Minimum field of expertise: Directly related education in research specialization with advanced knowledge of equipment, procedures and analysis methods.
The Dr. Zhiheng He Lab in the Department of Immunology and Immune Therapeutics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC is looking for a full-time Postdoctoral Scholar - Research Associate to join our new, creative, and dynamic research team. The focus of Dr. He’s lab is to study the roles of T lymphocyte during autoimmunity and infection. The job responsibilities include:
- To independently undertake research in the relevant discipline area using the appropriate methods and/or techniques.
- To produce research reports and/or publications as required by the funding body or for dissemination to the wider academic community.
- To collaborate with research colleagues and support staff internally as appropriate to the research and to actively develop appropriate external contacts and networks relevant to the project and to future funding opportunities.
- To provide guidance and support to any students associated with the project.
- To attend, contribute, and where necessary lead relevant meetings.
- To ensure that responsibilities identified within internal processes such as Health and Safety guidelines etc. are robustly met by all research team members.
- To take responsibility for planning and developing research methods and techniques within the framework of the research program.
- To contribute to relevant teaching activities within the department.
- To undertake any other duties relevant to the program of research.
Qualifications/Experience
- Preferred Education: The final candidate must have a PhD or equivalent doctorate. A copy of the doctoral diploma or other certification that indicates that the terminal degree has been completed satisfactorily is required. If the doctoral candidate has not yet obtained a degree, he/she should provide evidence that a thesis has been approved together with a documented indication of the expected date of formal graduation.
- Preferred Experience: Experience working with murine models and flow cytometry.
- Preferred Field of Expertise: Publications in peer-reviewed journals in immunology or related field.
The annual base salary range for this position is $70,304.04 - $73,480. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
Minimum education: Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate within previous three years Minimum experience: 0-1 year Minimum field of expertise: Directly related education in research specialization with advanced knowledge of equipment, procedures and analysis methods.
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Find Postdoctoral Associate JobsPostdoctoral Associate Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Postdoctoral Associate Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in postdoctoral associate jobs across California.
- PhD in a relevant field completed before the appointment start date
- Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications in the area of research
- Experience with California-relevant research compliance and IRB or IACUC protocols
- Proficiency in field-specific methods such as CRISPR, single-cell sequencing, or Python
- Ability to mentor graduate students and contribute to grant preparation
- Strong written communication skills for manuscript and fellowship application writing
Postdoctoral Associate Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a postdoctoral associate in California?
Becoming a postdoctoral associate in California requires a completed doctoral degree, typically a PhD or equivalent, in the relevant discipline. California does not require a state-issued license for postdoctoral researchers, but positions at medical institutions may require compliance with California Department of Public Health research standards. Most candidates apply directly to university or industry lab openings, submit a CV, research statement, and references, and are selected through faculty or PI interviews.
Which companies hire postdoctoral associates in California?
Employers hiring postdoctoral associates in California right now include Scripps Research, University of Southern California, and Keck Medicine of USC, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's density of research universities, national laboratories like Lawrence Berkeley and Salk Institute, and biotech companies in South San Francisco and San Diego creates a hiring environment with openings across academic, government, and private-sector research settings.
Which California cities have the most postdoctoral associate jobs?
The cities with the most postdoctoral associate openings in California are San Diego, Los Angeles, and Pasadena. The distribution reflects the location of California's flagship UC campuses, private research universities, and biotech clusters, with the Bay Area and San Diego drawing the highest volume because of UCSF, UC San Diego, Stanford, and the concentration of life sciences companies headquartered in those corridors.
Are there remote postdoctoral associate jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Most postdoctoral associate work is hands-on and lab-based, requiring physical access to equipment, biospecimens, or research facilities. About 0% of postdoctoral associate openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to be in computational, bioinformatics, or data-intensive subfields where the primary tools are software and high-performance computing rather than bench work.
How can I get hired as a postdoctoral associate in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying during the final months of your doctoral program before the degree is formally conferred, as California institutions including UC Berkeley, UCLA, and Scripps Research routinely recruit candidates who are ABD. Many UC campuses run formal postdoctoral scholar programs that welcome first-time postdocs. Candidates from adjacent roles such as research associate or staff scientist can also transition in, and a strong first-author publication or active fellowship application from a body like the NIH or NSF significantly strengthens a first-time applicant's file.
Where can I find and apply to postdoctoral associate jobs in California?
You can find and apply to postdoctoral associate jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across research universities, national laboratories, and life sciences companies. Search the listings to find roles that match your research background and apply directly to the ones that fit your experience and interests.
See All 11 Postdoctoral Associate Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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