Postdoctoral Research Associate Jobs in Virginia
Postdoctoral Research Associate jobs in Virginia are concentrated in academic research, biomedical sciences, and national security-adjacent STEM fields, with demand anchored by world-class universities and federally funded research centers. The largest hiring hubs are the Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. corridor, the Richmond metro, and the Charlottesville area, where institutions like the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and George Mason University maintain active postdoctoral programs. The most in-demand specialties in Virginia are computational biology, neuroscience, materials science, and data-driven policy research. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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The University of Virginia’s Department of Pediatrics is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate. The Charlton Laboratory seeks a highly motivated, collaborative Postdoc to support laboratory research focused on kidney development, neonatal kidney disease, and the long-term consequences of early-life kidney injury. The successful candidate will have experience with animal models, histology, and molecular biology and be willing to learn or has experience working with human biospecimens. This position requires excellent organizational and communication skills, careful attention to detail, and a strong commitment to teamwork and mentoring trainees.
Postdoctoral employment is temporary and is normally limited to an individual who has been awarded a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate within the previous five years and who will be involved in full-time research or scholarship at the University. Employment as a Postdoctoral Research Associate is viewed as training and is preparatory for a full-time academic or research career, is supervised by a senior scholar, and allows the appointee to publish the results of his/her research or scholarship during the training period.
Key Responsibilities:
- Perform animal research procedures, including animal handling, monitoring, breeding, genotyping, tissue collection, and maintenance of accurate study records.
- Conduct histologic studies, including tissue fixation, processing, embedding, sectioning, staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, microscopy, and quantitative image analysis.
- Perform molecular and cellular laboratory techniques, which may include DNA/RNA extraction, PCR and quantitative PCR, protein isolation, Western blotting, ELISA, and preparation of samples for sequencing or other assays.
- Process, catalog, store, and analyze human biospecimens in accordance with approved protocols and institutional safety and regulatory requirements.
- Maintain accurate laboratory notebooks, electronic databases, specimen inventories, and animal records.
- Assist with experimental design, protocol development, troubleshooting, data collection, analysis, and presentation.
- Maintain laboratory equipment, monitor supply inventories, prepare reagents, and coordinate ordering.
- Support compliance with animal care, biosafety, human-subjects research, and other institutional requirements.
- Train and supervise students and other laboratory members in research techniques, laboratory safety, recordkeeping, and responsible conduct of research.
- Work closely with the principal investigator, research staff, students, clinical collaborators, and other laboratories to advance shared research goals.
- Contribute to abstracts, presentations, manuscripts, and grant-related materials as appropriate.
Role Characteristics:
- An enthusiastic and dependable team player who contributes to a respectful, supportive, and collaborative laboratory environment.
- A patient and effective teacher who enjoys working with students at different levels of experience.
- Willing and able to work with both animal models and human biological samples.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and committed to scientific rigor and reproducibility.
- Able to manage multiple projects, prioritize responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
- Comfortable working independently while communicating regularly with the research team.
- Willing to learn new techniques, troubleshoot experiments, and adapt to changing project needs.
- Demonstrates professionalism, integrity, reliability, and respect for colleagues and research participants.
Minimum Qualifications: PhD with a research emphasis is required at time of hire.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with laboratory animals, including handling mice and basic experimental procedures.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Interest in teaching, mentoring, and working with undergraduate students, graduate students, medical trainees, or other learners.
Anticipated Compensation: Starting at $63,480, commensurate with education and experience.
Physical Demands: This position can spend extensive periods of time standing and squatting while conducting experiments or caring for animals. Also requires keyboarding and other bench work and animal procedures requiring finer finger manipulation.
Position Type & Work Location:
- This is a full-time, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.
- This is a restricted position, which is dependent on continuation of available funding.
- This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and must be performed fully on-site.
To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.
Additional Requirements:
- Background checks and health screenings will be conducted on all new hires.
- This position will consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.
Application Process:
Please apply online, and search for R0088865. Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website. Complete an application online with the following documents:
- CV/Resume
- Cover Letter
Upload all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all the required documents will not receive full consideration.
References will be completed via UVA’s standardized process SkillSurvey. A total of five references will be requested via SkillSurvey during the final phase of the interview process. A minimum of three are required.
For information regarding the position or the application process, please contact Jessica Speth, Academic Recruiter, js9rk@virginia.edu.
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.
The University of Virginia’s Department of Pediatrics is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate. The Charlton Laboratory seeks a highly motivated, collaborative Postdoc to support laboratory research focused on kidney development, neonatal kidney disease, and the long-term consequences of early-life kidney injury. The successful candidate will have experience with animal models, histology, and molecular biology and be willing to learn or has experience working with human biospecimens. This position requires excellent organizational and communication skills, careful attention to detail, and a strong commitment to teamwork and mentoring trainees.
Postdoctoral employment is temporary and is normally limited to an individual who has been awarded a Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate within the previous five years and who will be involved in full-time research or scholarship at the University. Employment as a Postdoctoral Research Associate is viewed as training and is preparatory for a full-time academic or research career, is supervised by a senior scholar, and allows the appointee to publish the results of his/her research or scholarship during the training period.
Key Responsibilities:
- Perform animal research procedures, including animal handling, monitoring, breeding, genotyping, tissue collection, and maintenance of accurate study records.
- Conduct histologic studies, including tissue fixation, processing, embedding, sectioning, staining, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, microscopy, and quantitative image analysis.
- Perform molecular and cellular laboratory techniques, which may include DNA/RNA extraction, PCR and quantitative PCR, protein isolation, Western blotting, ELISA, and preparation of samples for sequencing or other assays.
- Process, catalog, store, and analyze human biospecimens in accordance with approved protocols and institutional safety and regulatory requirements.
- Maintain accurate laboratory notebooks, electronic databases, specimen inventories, and animal records.
- Assist with experimental design, protocol development, troubleshooting, data collection, analysis, and presentation.
- Maintain laboratory equipment, monitor supply inventories, prepare reagents, and coordinate ordering.
- Support compliance with animal care, biosafety, human-subjects research, and other institutional requirements.
- Train and supervise students and other laboratory members in research techniques, laboratory safety, recordkeeping, and responsible conduct of research.
- Work closely with the principal investigator, research staff, students, clinical collaborators, and other laboratories to advance shared research goals.
- Contribute to abstracts, presentations, manuscripts, and grant-related materials as appropriate.
Role Characteristics:
- An enthusiastic and dependable team player who contributes to a respectful, supportive, and collaborative laboratory environment.
- A patient and effective teacher who enjoys working with students at different levels of experience.
- Willing and able to work with both animal models and human biological samples.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and committed to scientific rigor and reproducibility.
- Able to manage multiple projects, prioritize responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
- Comfortable working independently while communicating regularly with the research team.
- Willing to learn new techniques, troubleshoot experiments, and adapt to changing project needs.
- Demonstrates professionalism, integrity, reliability, and respect for colleagues and research participants.
Minimum Qualifications: PhD with a research emphasis is required at time of hire.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with laboratory animals, including handling mice and basic experimental procedures.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
- Interest in teaching, mentoring, and working with undergraduate students, graduate students, medical trainees, or other learners.
Anticipated Compensation: Starting at $63,480, commensurate with education and experience.
Physical Demands: This position can spend extensive periods of time standing and squatting while conducting experiments or caring for animals. Also requires keyboarding and other bench work and animal procedures requiring finer finger manipulation.
Position Type & Work Location:
- This is a full-time, benefited position. Learn more about UVA benefits.
- This is a restricted position, which is dependent on continuation of available funding.
- This position is based in Charlottesville, VA, and must be performed fully on-site.
To learn more about UVA and in the Charlottesville area, visit UVA Life and Embark CVA.
Additional Requirements:
- Background checks and health screenings will be conducted on all new hires.
- This position will consider candidates who require immigration sponsorship now or in the future.
Application Process:
Please apply online, and search for R0088865. Internal applicants may search and apply for jobs on the UVA Internal Careers website. Complete an application online with the following documents:
- CV/Resume
- Cover Letter
Upload all materials into the resume submission field, multiple documents can be submitted into this one field. Alternatively, merge all documents into one PDF for submission. Applications that do not contain all the required documents will not receive full consideration.
References will be completed via UVA’s standardized process SkillSurvey. A total of five references will be requested via SkillSurvey during the final phase of the interview process. A minimum of three are required.
For information regarding the position or the application process, please contact Jessica Speth, Academic Recruiter, js9rk@virginia.edu.
The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity employer. All interested persons are encouraged to apply, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Learn more about UVA’s commitment to non-discrimination and equal opportunity employment.
See All 37 Postdoctoral Research Associate Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsPostdoctoral Research Associate Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Postdoctoral Research Associate Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- University of Virginia18
- Virginia Commonwealth University8
- Old Dominion University3
- Virginia Tech2
- William & Mary2
Top Industries Hiring
- Education
- Science & Research
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Investment & Asset Management
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in postdoctoral research associate jobs across Virginia.
- PhD or doctoral degree in a relevant scientific or engineering discipline required
- Active research record with peer-reviewed publications in the area of study
- Demonstrated proficiency with laboratory techniques or computational tools specific to the discipline
- Experience designing, executing, and documenting independent research projects
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for grant writing and scientific presentations
- Ability to mentor graduate students and contribute to collaborative research teams
Postdoctoral Research Associate Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a postdoctoral research associate in Virginia?
Becoming a postdoctoral research associate in Virginia requires completing a doctoral degree (PhD or equivalent) in the relevant discipline, as the role is a post-doctoral training position, not a licensed profession with a state board. Virginia institutions such as the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Virginia Tech post openings through their graduate school and research office portals. Applicants typically submit a CV, research statement, and letters of recommendation directly to the principal investigator or hiring department.
Which companies hire postdoctoral research associates in Virginia?
Companies currently hiring postdoctoral research associates in Virginia include University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Old Dominion University, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's mix of research universities, federal contractors, and national laboratories means postdoctoral openings appear across both academic and private-sector research environments throughout the state.
Which Virginia cities have the most postdoctoral research associate jobs?
The cities with the most postdoctoral research associate openings in Virginia are Charlottesville, Virginia, and Richmond. Northern Virginia's concentration of federal agencies and defense research contractors drives volume in that corridor, while Charlottesville and Blacksburg reflect the large research footprints of the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech, and Richmond's biomedical and life sciences sector adds consistent demand through Virginia Commonwealth University Health.
Are there remote postdoctoral research associate jobs in Virginia?
Yes, but they're rare. Postdoctoral research associate work is largely hands-on and lab- or campus-based, making fully remote positions uncommon. About 67% of postdoctoral research associate openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, and these tend to be in computational, data science, or policy-focused research where wet-lab access is not required.
How can I get hired as a postdoctoral research associate in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying for a first postdoctoral appointment directly from a PhD program, which is the standard pipeline Virginia institutions expect. Large Virginia research employers like the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and George Mason University post entry-level postdoctoral fellowships designed for new graduates. Candidates without a completed PhD can build toward the role through research assistantships, graduate teaching positions, or laboratory technician roles at these same institutions, using publications and a strong dissertation committee recommendation as the primary credential for a competitive application.
Where can I find and apply to postdoctoral research associate jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to postdoctoral research associate jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across research institutions, universities, federal contractors, and private-sector labs. Find roles that fit your discipline and experience level and apply directly to the positions listed.
See All 37 Postdoctoral Research Associate Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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