Opportunities
Postdoc position
The Shartau Lab in the School of Biological Sciences (SBS) at Washington State University (WSU) is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the lab. One of the lab’s key research areas is to investigate the role of acid-base physiology in the adaptations that enable fish and aquatic organisms to cope with environmental stressors and changes within their habitat. More information about the lab is available at shartau.com.
The postdoc will be involved in projects to characterize the cellular mechanisms of intracellular acid-base regulation in key tissues (e.g., heart, liver) during fish development, examine how acid-base regulation is shaped by ontogeny and modulated by aquaculture-relevant and climate-linked stressors. Core objectives include analyzing gene and protein expression variation across a range of environmental conditions, linking variation in omics patterns to metrics of individuals’ whole-organism performance, and detailed analysis of the effects of acid-base stress on biochemical functions that vary in expression across developmental stages.
The Shartau Lab and SBS have a range of facilities that will be used to support this research, including recently renovated laboratory spaces, access to the Aquatic Phenomics Research Center (APRC; https://sbs.wsu.edu/aquaticslab/), the Carver Farm Fish Hatchery, and the Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center (FMIC) (https://fmic.wsu.edu).
Applicants are expected to have strong communication and writing skills and demonstrate independence by leading their own projects while working in a highly collaborative team environment. The successful applicant will be involved with study design, data collection and analysis, writing and communication of research findings, mentoring and collaborating with graduate students, and the development of new collaborative and independent research projects and grants. Expected work products will include analyses of existing and new datasets, manuscripts for publication in scientific journals, and presentations of results at professional conferences. Funding is available for professional development and conference attenedence.
Required qualifications:
Preferred experience:
Compensation:
Salary of $65,000 plus WSU benefits, including health, vision, dental, and retirement plan. The initial appointment will be for one year, with the possibility of renewal for additional years, pending satisfactory performance and continued availability of funding.
Washington State University and Pullman: Washington State University (WSU) is a public land-grant research university in Pullman, Washington. SBS has a strong research presence in organismal biology, evolution, and ecology research (https://sbs.wsu.edu/). There are many opportunities for interaction and collaboration within SBS and in the WSU community more broadly.
Pullman and nearby Moscow, ID, collectively offer the intellectual and cultural resources of two land-grant state universities. The two cities have a combined population of ~88,000 and are served by a regional airport. Pullman is approximately 90 minutes from Spokane Washington, which is part of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area that has a population ~785,000 and is served by the Spokane International Airport. Pullman offers a high quality of life with abundant year-round outdoor opportunities. Major cities within driving distance include Seattle (~4.5 h), Portland Oregon (~5.5 h), and Vancouver Canada (~7 h).
Informal candidate screening process:
Interested applicants should send the following via email to Dr. Ryan Shartau ([email protected]) as a SINGLE PDF document:
Review of applications will begin on March 29, 2026 and continue until the position has been filled. A formal WSU application and background check will be required of the selected candidate.
Questions regarding this position can be directed to:
Ryan Shartau, [email protected]
Graduate students
There are no opportunities at this time. Please check back later.
Undergraduate students
There are occasional opportunities for students interested in animal physiology to volunteer in the lab to assist with research or as part of an independent studies. Students are encouraged to contact Dr. Shartau for possible projects.
The Shartau Lab in the School of Biological Sciences (SBS) at Washington State University (WSU) is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the lab. One of the lab’s key research areas is to investigate the role of acid-base physiology in the adaptations that enable fish and aquatic organisms to cope with environmental stressors and changes within their habitat. More information about the lab is available at shartau.com.
The postdoc will be involved in projects to characterize the cellular mechanisms of intracellular acid-base regulation in key tissues (e.g., heart, liver) during fish development, examine how acid-base regulation is shaped by ontogeny and modulated by aquaculture-relevant and climate-linked stressors. Core objectives include analyzing gene and protein expression variation across a range of environmental conditions, linking variation in omics patterns to metrics of individuals’ whole-organism performance, and detailed analysis of the effects of acid-base stress on biochemical functions that vary in expression across developmental stages.
The Shartau Lab and SBS have a range of facilities that will be used to support this research, including recently renovated laboratory spaces, access to the Aquatic Phenomics Research Center (APRC; https://sbs.wsu.edu/aquaticslab/), the Carver Farm Fish Hatchery, and the Franceschi Microscopy and Imaging Center (FMIC) (https://fmic.wsu.edu).
Applicants are expected to have strong communication and writing skills and demonstrate independence by leading their own projects while working in a highly collaborative team environment. The successful applicant will be involved with study design, data collection and analysis, writing and communication of research findings, mentoring and collaborating with graduate students, and the development of new collaborative and independent research projects and grants. Expected work products will include analyses of existing and new datasets, manuscripts for publication in scientific journals, and presentations of results at professional conferences. Funding is available for professional development and conference attenedence.
Required qualifications:
- Ph.D. in Biology, Physiology, or other relevant field.
- Expertise in developmental animal physiology
- Strong quantitative skills and experience with R programming language
Preferred experience:
- Experience with molecular biology techniques and bioinformatics
- Use of aquatic animals and experience with aquarium systems
- Demonstrated record of publishing peer-reviewed manuscripts
Compensation:
Salary of $65,000 plus WSU benefits, including health, vision, dental, and retirement plan. The initial appointment will be for one year, with the possibility of renewal for additional years, pending satisfactory performance and continued availability of funding.
Washington State University and Pullman: Washington State University (WSU) is a public land-grant research university in Pullman, Washington. SBS has a strong research presence in organismal biology, evolution, and ecology research (https://sbs.wsu.edu/). There are many opportunities for interaction and collaboration within SBS and in the WSU community more broadly.
Pullman and nearby Moscow, ID, collectively offer the intellectual and cultural resources of two land-grant state universities. The two cities have a combined population of ~88,000 and are served by a regional airport. Pullman is approximately 90 minutes from Spokane Washington, which is part of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area that has a population ~785,000 and is served by the Spokane International Airport. Pullman offers a high quality of life with abundant year-round outdoor opportunities. Major cities within driving distance include Seattle (~4.5 h), Portland Oregon (~5.5 h), and Vancouver Canada (~7 h).
Informal candidate screening process:
Interested applicants should send the following via email to Dr. Ryan Shartau ([email protected]) as a SINGLE PDF document:
- CV,
- One-page cover letter including a brief statement of research interests/experiences and career goals as they relate to this position,
- Contact information for 3 references, and
- 2 representative publications.
Review of applications will begin on March 29, 2026 and continue until the position has been filled. A formal WSU application and background check will be required of the selected candidate.
Questions regarding this position can be directed to:
Ryan Shartau, [email protected]
Graduate students
There are no opportunities at this time. Please check back later.
Undergraduate students
There are occasional opportunities for students interested in animal physiology to volunteer in the lab to assist with research or as part of an independent studies. Students are encouraged to contact Dr. Shartau for possible projects.
Washington State University and Pullman:
Washington State University (WSU) is a public land-grant research university in Pullman, Washington. Founded in 1890, WSU is one of the oldest land-grant universities in the American West. Pullman is located in SE Washington within the Palouse region and has a population of ~33,000 and is approximately 8 miles from Moscow Idaho; the regional population of these cities is ~88,000. The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport serves this region and is approximately 90 minutes from Spokane Washington, which is part of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area that has a population ~785,000 and is served by the Spokane International Airport. Pullman offers a high quality of life with abundant year-round outdoor opportunities. Major cities within driving distance include Seattle (~4.5 h), Portland Oregon (~5.5 h), and Vancouver Canada (~7 h).
Washington State University (WSU) is a public land-grant research university in Pullman, Washington. Founded in 1890, WSU is one of the oldest land-grant universities in the American West. Pullman is located in SE Washington within the Palouse region and has a population of ~33,000 and is approximately 8 miles from Moscow Idaho; the regional population of these cities is ~88,000. The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport serves this region and is approximately 90 minutes from Spokane Washington, which is part of the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area that has a population ~785,000 and is served by the Spokane International Airport. Pullman offers a high quality of life with abundant year-round outdoor opportunities. Major cities within driving distance include Seattle (~4.5 h), Portland Oregon (~5.5 h), and Vancouver Canada (~7 h).