Postdoctoral Associate Jobs in Illinois
Postdoctoral Associate jobs in Illinois concentrate heavily in academic research, biomedical sciences, and physical sciences, with the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Argonne National Laboratory among the most consistent employers in the state. Chicago anchors the market, but Evanston and Urbana-Champaign also maintain strong pipelines through their major research universities. The most in-demand specialties include molecular biology, computational neuroscience, and materials science. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 6+ Postdoctoral Associate jobs
Postdoctoral Research Associate - Department of Pediatrics
Hiring Department: Department of Pediatrics
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Requisition ID: 1042453
Posting Close Date: 09.12.2026
Salary: The budgeted salary range for the position is $53,000 to $56,000. Final salary offered will be determined by a thorough assessment of available market data, internal salary equity, candidate experience and qualifications, and budget constraints.
About the University of Illinois Chicago
UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.
About the Department of Pediatrics
The Department of Pediatrics provides comprehensive family-centered health care to all children, multi-level professional education to students, physicians, and allied health care workers in all aspects of pediatrics, and a voice of advocacy for children of the state of Illinois. We are also actively engaged in the community to improve the health status of children through preventative and educational efforts, and to lead with basic and clinical research into childhood diseases to move the field of pediatrics forward. Our diverse medical teams bring the world’s latest advancements to patient care, research, and teaching.
The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois Chicago is seeking to fill a Postdoctoral Research Associate position. This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.
Position Summary
The laboratory focuses on mucosal immunology, microbiome-immune interactions, and inflammatory diseases. We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow with strong experimental skills and experience, as well as an interest in bioinformatics analysis.
The successful candidate will work on NIH-funded projects. The position will directly assist the Principal Investigator in advancing these projects by utilizing a range of technologies, animal models, and human samples.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Animal-related work, including breeding, genotyping, colony maintenance, and conducting animal models.
- Perform cellular and molecular biology experiments, such as cell culture, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and flow cytometry.
- Collect and prepare samples for next-generation sequencing (NGS).
- Participate in special projects as assigned by the Principal Investigator.
- Additional Responsibilities
- Manage general laboratory operations. Design and perform experiments based on established protocols, assist with data analysis and interpretation, prepare publication-quality figures, and contribute to manuscript preparation.
- Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- PhD or MD/PhD in a related field.
- Expertise in animal handling and mouse colony maintenance is essential.
- Ability to independently perform routine laboratory work.
Experience with R or other skills for analyzing NGS datasets.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.
Postdoctoral Research Associate - Department of Pediatrics
Hiring Department: Department of Pediatrics
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Requisition ID: 1042453
Posting Close Date: 09.12.2026
Salary: The budgeted salary range for the position is $53,000 to $56,000. Final salary offered will be determined by a thorough assessment of available market data, internal salary equity, candidate experience and qualifications, and budget constraints.
About the University of Illinois Chicago
UIC is among the nation’s preeminent urban public research universities, a Carnegie RU/VH research institution, and the largest university in Chicago. UIC serves over 34,000 students, comprising one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation and is designated as a Minority Serving Institution (MSI), an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPSI) and a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Through its 16 colleges, UIC produces nationally and internationally recognized multidisciplinary academic programs in concert with civic, corporate and community partners worldwide, including a full complement of health sciences colleges. By emphasizing cutting-edge and transformational research along with a commitment to the success of all students, UIC embodies the dynamic, vibrant and engaged urban university. Recent “Best Colleges” rankings published by U.S. News & World Report, found UIC climbed up in its rankings among top public schools in the nation and among all national universities. UIC has over 300,000 alumni, and is one of the largest employers in the city of Chicago.
About the Department of Pediatrics
The Department of Pediatrics provides comprehensive family-centered health care to all children, multi-level professional education to students, physicians, and allied health care workers in all aspects of pediatrics, and a voice of advocacy for children of the state of Illinois. We are also actively engaged in the community to improve the health status of children through preventative and educational efforts, and to lead with basic and clinical research into childhood diseases to move the field of pediatrics forward. Our diverse medical teams bring the world’s latest advancements to patient care, research, and teaching.
The Department of Pediatrics at the University of Illinois Chicago is seeking to fill a Postdoctoral Research Associate position. This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.
Position Summary
The laboratory focuses on mucosal immunology, microbiome-immune interactions, and inflammatory diseases. We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow with strong experimental skills and experience, as well as an interest in bioinformatics analysis.
The successful candidate will work on NIH-funded projects. The position will directly assist the Principal Investigator in advancing these projects by utilizing a range of technologies, animal models, and human samples.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Animal-related work, including breeding, genotyping, colony maintenance, and conducting animal models.
- Perform cellular and molecular biology experiments, such as cell culture, Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and flow cytometry.
- Collect and prepare samples for next-generation sequencing (NGS).
- Participate in special projects as assigned by the Principal Investigator.
- Additional Responsibilities
- Manage general laboratory operations. Design and perform experiments based on established protocols, assist with data analysis and interpretation, prepare publication-quality figures, and contribute to manuscript preparation.
- Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications
- PhD or MD/PhD in a related field.
- Expertise in animal handling and mouse colony maintenance is essential.
- Ability to independently perform routine laboratory work.
Experience with R or other skills for analyzing NGS datasets.
The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.
The university provides accommodations to applicants and employees. Request an Accommodation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.
See All 6 Postdoctoral Associate Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Postdoctoral Associate JobsPostdoctoral Associate Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Postdoctoral Associate Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in postdoctoral associate jobs across Illinois.
- PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in a relevant scientific or academic discipline
- Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed research publications in the candidate's field
- Experience operating laboratory instrumentation and following institutional safety protocols
- Ability to design, execute, and independently manage a funded research project
- Strong written communication skills for grant proposals, manuscripts, and reports
- Familiarity with IRB, IACUC, or biosafety compliance requirements for Illinois institutions
Postdoctoral Associate Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a postdoctoral associate in Illinois?
Becoming a postdoctoral associate in Illinois requires a completed doctoral degree in the relevant field, as there is no state-issued license or board exam for this role. Candidates apply directly to research institutions, universities, or national laboratories, typically submitting a cover letter, CV, and research statement. Illinois institutions such as the University of Chicago, University of Illinois, and Northwestern University post openings through their departmental websites and centralized research office portals.
Which companies hire postdoctoral associates in Illinois?
Illinois postdoctoral associate roles are posted by University of Illinois, University of Notre Dame, and University of Illinois at Chicago and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Illinois's concentration of R1 research universities and federally funded national laboratories like Argonne and Fermilab makes it one of the more active states for postdoctoral hiring in the country.
Which Illinois cities have the most postdoctoral associate jobs?
Chicago, River, and Campus have the most postdoctoral associate openings in Illinois. Chicago dominates because it is home to major research universities and medical centers, while Evanston benefits from Northwestern University's large research enterprise and Urbana-Champaign is driven almost entirely by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the largest public research universities in the country.
Are there remote postdoctoral associate jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're rare. Most postdoctoral associate work requires on-site access to laboratory equipment, specialized instrumentation, or research cohorts that cannot be replicated remotely. About 0% of postdoctoral associate openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to be in computational, data-intensive, or theoretical subfields such as bioinformatics, applied mathematics, or social science research.
How can I get hired as a postdoctoral associate in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is applying before your doctoral dissertation defense, as many Illinois institutions accept candidates who are ABD and will confer the degree within months of the start date. University of Chicago, Northwestern, and the University of Illinois system all post postdoctoral fellowships designed for new doctoral graduates. Candidates without a strong publication record can strengthen their application with a detailed research proposal, a faculty sponsor who supports the application, and demonstrated proficiency in the methods or instrumentation the lab uses.
Where can I find and apply to postdoctoral associate jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to postdoctoral associate jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current Illinois openings across research institutions, universities, and private employers. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 6 Postdoctoral Associate Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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