Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs in California
Postdoctoral Researcher jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in biomedical research, physical sciences, and engineering across the University of California system, Stanford University, and institutions like the Salk Institute and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The highest volume of openings clusters in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where public universities, private research universities, and national laboratories all maintain large research programs. Demand runs from fresh PhD graduates through senior postdocs with independent fellowship funding, with life sciences and computational biology among the most sought-after specialties. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Join the forefront of groundbreaking research at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. Our dedicated and compassionate faculty and staff are driven by a common mission: Contribute to innovative approaches in predicting, preventing, and curing diseases, shaping the future of medicine through cutting-edge research.
The laboratory of Dr. Adam de Smith in the Department of Pediatrics is looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to study the etiology and early-life origins of childhood acute leukemia. The de Smith lab uses molecular and epidemiological methodologies to advance our understanding of the germline genetic risk, somatic drivers, and early-life origins of childhood leukemia, with the goal of developing strategies for disease prevention.
You will have opportunities to analyze large-scale germline genotyping data, as well as tumor whole-genome sequencing data from childhood leukemia patients to investigate the etiologic role of early-life environmental exposures and the prenatal origins of childhood leukemia, for example in our ReCord Study (https://record.umn.edu).
Your qualifications should include:
- Ph.D. degree in genetics, genetic epidemiology, biological sciences, or a related discipline is required.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Proficiency in one or more programming languages is essential.
- Evidence of productivity reflected in first author publications in peer-reviewed journals. Ability to conduct independent research and work effectively in a team.
- Experience in conducting human genetics research and analyzing large genetic datasets is preferred.
City of Hope employees pay is based on the following criteria: work experience, qualifications, and work location.
City of Hope is an equal opportunity employer.
To learn more about our Comprehensive Benefits, please CLICK HERE.
Join the forefront of groundbreaking research at the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. Our dedicated and compassionate faculty and staff are driven by a common mission: Contribute to innovative approaches in predicting, preventing, and curing diseases, shaping the future of medicine through cutting-edge research.
The laboratory of Dr. Adam de Smith in the Department of Pediatrics is looking for a highly motivated postdoctoral fellow to study the etiology and early-life origins of childhood acute leukemia. The de Smith lab uses molecular and epidemiological methodologies to advance our understanding of the germline genetic risk, somatic drivers, and early-life origins of childhood leukemia, with the goal of developing strategies for disease prevention.
You will have opportunities to analyze large-scale germline genotyping data, as well as tumor whole-genome sequencing data from childhood leukemia patients to investigate the etiologic role of early-life environmental exposures and the prenatal origins of childhood leukemia, for example in our ReCord Study (https://record.umn.edu).
Your qualifications should include:
- Ph.D. degree in genetics, genetic epidemiology, biological sciences, or a related discipline is required.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Proficiency in one or more programming languages is essential.
- Evidence of productivity reflected in first author publications in peer-reviewed journals. Ability to conduct independent research and work effectively in a team.
- Experience in conducting human genetics research and analyzing large genetic datasets is preferred.
City of Hope employees pay is based on the following criteria: work experience, qualifications, and work location.
City of Hope is an equal opportunity employer.
To learn more about our Comprehensive Benefits, please CLICK HERE.
See All 42 Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Postdoctoral Researcher JobsPostdoctoral Researcher Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Postdoctoral Researcher Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
- Science & Research
- Technology & Software
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in postdoctoral researcher jobs across California.
- PhD in a relevant discipline completed before or at the start of appointment
- Active publication record with peer-reviewed research in the relevant field
- Experience with standard laboratory techniques, instrumentation, or computational tools for the specialty
- Ability to design, execute, and interpret independent research projects with faculty mentorship
- Strong written communication skills for manuscript preparation and grant writing
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate within multidisciplinary research teams and mentor graduate students
Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a postdoctoral researcher in California?
You become a postdoctoral researcher in California by earning a doctoral degree and securing a formal appointment through a university, national laboratory, or research institute. California does not require a state license for most postdoctoral roles, but positions at University of California campuses follow UC systemwide appointment policies, and clinical or patient-adjacent postdocs may require a California professional license. Most researchers apply directly through institutional hiring portals or through faculty contacts in their field.
Which companies hire postdoctoral researchers in California?
Employers hiring postdoctoral researchers in California right now include Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, City of Hope, and University of California Los Angeles, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of research universities, biotech headquarters, and federal national laboratories makes it one of the broadest postdoctoral hiring markets in the country.
Which California cities have the most postdoctoral researcher jobs?
The cities with the most postdoctoral researcher openings in California are Los Angeles, Livermore, and Woodland Hills. The Bay Area leads because of the density of UC Berkeley, UCSF, Stanford, and biotech campuses in the region, Los Angeles draws volume through UCLA, USC, and Caltech, and San Diego's openings are driven by UC San Diego alongside one of the country's largest biotech and genomics research clusters.
Are there remote postdoctoral researcher jobs in California?
Yes, but they're rare. Postdoctoral research is predominantly hands-on, requiring access to laboratory equipment, core facilities, or on-site collaboration, which makes fully remote appointments uncommon. About 63% of postdoctoral researcher openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to be in computational biology, bioinformatics, data science, or theoretical research where the work is entirely software and analysis based.
How can I get hired as a postdoctoral researcher in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is applying directly to faculty-sponsored postdoctoral positions at University of California campuses while your dissertation is still in progress, as many principal investigators will consider candidates who are within months of defending. UC San Diego, UCLA, and UCSF all run structured postdoctoral scholar programs that welcome new PhD graduates, and national laboratories like Lawrence Berkeley and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory offer postdoctoral fellowships designed for early-career researchers. Presenting at a California-based conference or establishing a direct email relationship with a faculty member whose work aligns with yours significantly improves the odds of landing a first appointment.
Where can I find and apply to postdoctoral researcher jobs in California?
You can find and apply to postdoctoral researcher jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from California employers. Search the roles available, identify the ones that match your research background and career stage, and apply directly through each listing.
See All 42 Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Postdoctoral Researcher Jobs