Postdoctoral Research Associate Jobs in New York
Postdoctoral research associate jobs in New York represent one of the most active markets in the country, concentrated in biomedical research, neuroscience, computational biology, and physical sciences across a range of academic medical centers and research universities. Most hiring is anchored in New York City, Buffalo, and Ithaca, where institutions like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Rockefeller University, and Cornell University maintain large research programs. Demand runs from newly minted PhDs through experienced researchers with independent grant histories. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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INTRODUCTION
Brookhaven National Laboratory’s National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to develop an automated protein crystal harvesting system at the Center for BioMolecular Structure (CBMS).
The successful candidate will develop vision-guided robotic manipulation capabilities for detecting, tracking, and harvesting fragile micron-scale protein crystals suspended in liquid droplets. Working closely with a multidisciplinary team of crystallographers, beamline scientists, controls engineers, mechanical engineers, and data scientists, the candidate will help integrate computer vision, machine learning, and robotic manipulation into an automated crystal harvesting platform.
This is a hands-on role centered on building and deploying closed-loop perception, visual servoing, and robotic control systems in a real laboratory environment. The position offers the opportunity to advance machine vision, robotic manipulation, and embodied AI techniques while addressing a scientifically impactful problem in structural biology.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement vision-guided real-time robotic manipulation methods for crystal harvesting
- Design and deploy closed-loop perception and control pipelines using visual feedback
- Contribute to vision-based servoing approaches for precise, real-time positioning
- Integrate perception outputs with motion planning and execution using ROS2 and MoveIt2
- Perform system calibration (e.g., hand-eye calibration, camera calibration) to ensure accurate 3D spatial alignment
- Evaluate and improve system robustness, including perception uncertainty and failure modes
- Collaborate closely with domain experts across crystallography, controls, and engineering
- Participate in system testing, tuning, and performance evaluation
- Document methods and results; contribute to reports, publications, and presentations
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related field
- Demonstrated experience developing and implementing robotics systems
- Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++
-
Knowledge of robotic systems:
-
Robot kinematics and coordinate transformations
- Motion planning and trajectory generation
- Calibration methods
- Proven track record in disseminating scientific results in the form of publications or conference presentations
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Experience developing robotic systems that integrate vision-guided control in real-world settings
- Experience working with ROS2-based ecosystems
- Experience with camera calibration, hand-eye calibration, and coordinate frame registration
- Experience integrating machine learning models into robotics
-
Familiarity with:
-
Micro-Manipulation
- Sensor fusion or state estimation
- Real-time system debugging and performance tuning
What Success Looks Like:
- Development of a system capable of reliably detecting and localizing protein crystals
- Implementation of closed-loop robotic manipulation using visual feedback
- Improved robustness and reliability of the crystal harvesting process under real-world conditions
Additional Information:
- This is an on-site position based at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York
- This position is a 2-year term, with the possibility of renewal contingent on performance and funding availability
Other Information:
- Candidates should submit a brief cover letter outlining how their experience and career goals are suitable for the position
- Candidates must have completed all degree requirements by the commencement of employment
- BNL policy requires that after obtaining a PhD, eligible candidates for research associate appointments may not exceed a combined total of 5 years of relevant work experience as a post-doc and/or in an R&D position, excluding time associated with family planning, military service, illness or other life-changing events
- Brookhaven Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $71,900-$119,000 / year. You will be placed at the level and salary commensurate with your experience. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program
Brookhaven National Laboratory requires all non-badged personnel including visitors to produce a REAL-ID or REAL-ID compliant documentation to access Brookhaven National Laboratory – view more information at www.bnl.gov/real-id. This is due to nationwide identification requirements for federal site access as required by the federal REAL ID Act. Those not in possession of a REAL ID-compliant document will not be permitted to access the site which includes access to the Laboratory for interviews.
As a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory requires employees to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) requirements. The credentialing process is completed as part of onboarding and enables access to DOE facilities and information systems. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a UPIV credential. These requirements are established under DOE Order 206.2 Chg. 2, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM), and DOE Order 473.1A- Physical Protection Program.
About us
Brookhaven National Laboratory delivers discovery science and transformative technology to power and secure the nation’s future. Brookhaven Lab is a multidisciplinary laboratory with seven Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards, and more than 70 years of pioneering research. The Lab is primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) operates and manages the Laboratory for DOE. BSA is a partnership between Battelle and The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University. BSA salutes our veterans and active military members with careers that leverage the skills and unique experience they gained while serving our country.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
Guided by our core values of integrity, responsibility, innovation, respect, and teamwork, Brookhaven Science Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer-Vets/Disabled. We are committed to fostering a respectful and collaborative environment that fuels scientific discovery. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. *VEVRAA Federal Contractor
BSA employees are subject to restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation at the time of hire for review by Brookhaven. The full text of the Order may be found at: https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0486.1-BOrder-a/@@images/file
INTRODUCTION
Brookhaven National Laboratory’s National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to develop an automated protein crystal harvesting system at the Center for BioMolecular Structure (CBMS).
The successful candidate will develop vision-guided robotic manipulation capabilities for detecting, tracking, and harvesting fragile micron-scale protein crystals suspended in liquid droplets. Working closely with a multidisciplinary team of crystallographers, beamline scientists, controls engineers, mechanical engineers, and data scientists, the candidate will help integrate computer vision, machine learning, and robotic manipulation into an automated crystal harvesting platform.
This is a hands-on role centered on building and deploying closed-loop perception, visual servoing, and robotic control systems in a real laboratory environment. The position offers the opportunity to advance machine vision, robotic manipulation, and embodied AI techniques while addressing a scientifically impactful problem in structural biology.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement vision-guided real-time robotic manipulation methods for crystal harvesting
- Design and deploy closed-loop perception and control pipelines using visual feedback
- Contribute to vision-based servoing approaches for precise, real-time positioning
- Integrate perception outputs with motion planning and execution using ROS2 and MoveIt2
- Perform system calibration (e.g., hand-eye calibration, camera calibration) to ensure accurate 3D spatial alignment
- Evaluate and improve system robustness, including perception uncertainty and failure modes
- Collaborate closely with domain experts across crystallography, controls, and engineering
- Participate in system testing, tuning, and performance evaluation
- Document methods and results; contribute to reports, publications, and presentations
Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related field
- Demonstrated experience developing and implementing robotics systems
- Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++
-
Knowledge of robotic systems:
-
Robot kinematics and coordinate transformations
- Motion planning and trajectory generation
- Calibration methods
- Proven track record in disseminating scientific results in the form of publications or conference presentations
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Experience developing robotic systems that integrate vision-guided control in real-world settings
- Experience working with ROS2-based ecosystems
- Experience with camera calibration, hand-eye calibration, and coordinate frame registration
- Experience integrating machine learning models into robotics
-
Familiarity with:
-
Micro-Manipulation
- Sensor fusion or state estimation
- Real-time system debugging and performance tuning
What Success Looks Like:
- Development of a system capable of reliably detecting and localizing protein crystals
- Implementation of closed-loop robotic manipulation using visual feedback
- Improved robustness and reliability of the crystal harvesting process under real-world conditions
Additional Information:
- This is an on-site position based at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York
- This position is a 2-year term, with the possibility of renewal contingent on performance and funding availability
Other Information:
- Candidates should submit a brief cover letter outlining how their experience and career goals are suitable for the position
- Candidates must have completed all degree requirements by the commencement of employment
- BNL policy requires that after obtaining a PhD, eligible candidates for research associate appointments may not exceed a combined total of 5 years of relevant work experience as a post-doc and/or in an R&D position, excluding time associated with family planning, military service, illness or other life-changing events
- Brookhaven Laboratory is committed to providing fair, equitable and competitive compensation. The full salary range for this position is $71,900-$119,000 / year. You will be placed at the level and salary commensurate with your experience. Salary offers will be commensurate with the final candidate’s qualification, education and experience and considered with the internal peer group
Brookhaven National Laboratory is committed to employee success and we believe that a comprehensive employee benefits program is an important and meaningful part of the compensation employees receive. Review more information at BNL | Benefits Program
Brookhaven National Laboratory requires all non-badged personnel including visitors to produce a REAL-ID or REAL-ID compliant documentation to access Brookhaven National Laboratory – view more information at www.bnl.gov/real-id. This is due to nationwide identification requirements for federal site access as required by the federal REAL ID Act. Those not in possession of a REAL ID-compliant document will not be permitted to access the site which includes access to the Laboratory for interviews.
As a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory requires employees to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential in accordance with Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12) requirements. The credentialing process is completed as part of onboarding and enables access to DOE facilities and information systems. As a condition of employment, the selected candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a UPIV credential. These requirements are established under DOE Order 206.2 Chg. 2, Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM), and DOE Order 473.1A- Physical Protection Program.
About us
Brookhaven National Laboratory delivers discovery science and transformative technology to power and secure the nation’s future. Brookhaven Lab is a multidisciplinary laboratory with seven Nobel Prize-winning discoveries, 37 R&D 100 Awards, and more than 70 years of pioneering research. The Lab is primarily supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science. Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) operates and manages the Laboratory for DOE. BSA is a partnership between Battelle and The Research Foundation for the State University of New York on behalf of Stony Brook University. BSA salutes our veterans and active military members with careers that leverage the skills and unique experience they gained while serving our country.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
Guided by our core values of integrity, responsibility, innovation, respect, and teamwork, Brookhaven Science Associates is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer-Vets/Disabled. We are committed to fostering a respectful and collaborative environment that fuels scientific discovery. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by law. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply. We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. *VEVRAA Federal Contractor
BSA employees are subject to restrictions related to participation in Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs, as defined and detailed in United States Department of Energy Order 486.1A. You will be asked to disclose any such participation at the time of hire for review by Brookhaven. The full text of the Order may be found at: https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0486.1-BOrder-a/@@images/file
See All 38 Postdoctoral Research Associate Jobs in New York
Find roles in New York that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsPostdoctoral Research Associate Jobs by City in New York
Where New York roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Postdoctoral Research Associate Job Market in New York
A snapshot from current New York openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- University at Buffalo14
- Brookhaven National Laboratory9
- New York University6
- City University of New York2
- SUNY Upstate Medical University2
Top Industries Hiring
- Education21
- Science & Research6
- Government & Public Sector3
- Healthcare & Medical Services2
- Non-Profit & Social Services1
What New York Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in postdoctoral research associate jobs across New York.
- PhD in a relevant biological, physical, or computational science discipline required
- Demonstrated record of peer-reviewed publications in a relevant research area
- Hands-on laboratory or computational research experience in the advertised specialty
- Ability to design, execute, and interpret independent experiments with minimal supervision
- Experience with grant writing or fellowship applications is strongly preferred
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for scientific presentation and collaboration
Postdoctoral Research Associate Jobs in New York: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a postdoctoral research associate in New York?
Becoming a postdoctoral research associate in New York requires a doctoral degree, typically a PhD, MD, or equivalent, in the field of the advertised position. New York does not issue a state license specific to postdoctoral researchers, so entry depends on securing a faculty sponsor or principal investigator at a New York institution. Many candidates approach labs directly through institutional job portals at universities and medical centers, or through professional society listings in their discipline.
Which companies hire postdoctoral research associates in New York?
Employers hiring postdoctoral research associates in New York right now include University at Buffalo, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and New York University, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of June 2026. New York's density of academic medical centers, independent research institutes, and pharmaceutical campuses makes it one of the broadest postdoctoral hiring environments in the United States.
Which New York cities have the most postdoctoral research associate jobs?
Buffalo, Upton, and New York account for the most postdoctoral research associate openings in New York. New York City leads by a wide margin because of its concentration of world-class academic medical centers, independent research institutes, and biotech campuses, while Buffalo benefits from the University at Buffalo's research enterprise and Ithaca is driven by Cornell University's graduate research programs.
Are there remote postdoctoral research associate jobs in New York?
Yes, but they're rare. Postdoctoral research associate work is predominantly bench-based or requires on-site equipment access, making full remote arrangements uncommon. About 3% of postdoctoral research associate openings tied to New York are remote or hybrid as of June 2026, with remote-eligible roles most often found in computational biology, bioinformatics, and data-intensive research that does not require physical laboratory access.
How can I get hired as a postdoctoral research associate in New York with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is completing a PhD and contacting principal investigators at New York institutions directly, even before a position is formally advertised. Large research universities and medical centers such as Columbia, NYU, and Weill Cornell regularly onboard newly graduated doctoral candidates into their labs. Building a relationship with a faculty mentor during graduate school and presenting at regional scientific conferences are the credentials and connections that open the door most consistently in New York.
Where can I find and apply to postdoctoral research associate jobs in New York?
You can find and apply to postdoctoral research associate jobs in New York on Migrate Mate, which lists current New York openings updated regularly. Find roles that fit your research background and apply directly to each one through the listing.
See All 38 Postdoctoral Research Associate Jobs in New York
Find roles in New York that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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