University of Colorado Boulder | Postdoctoral Position in Computational Modeling of Biological Rhythms

Job Summary

The Peleg Lab is seeking a creative and biologically curious postdoctoral researcher to join an interdisciplinary initiative on the rhythms and communication signals of living organisms. This project spans a wide range of systems, from deep-sea mussels and bioluminescent fireflies to frogs, crickets, birds, and beyond. Further information on the Peleg Lab can be found here: https://www.peleglab.com

Our core goal is to understand how biological collectives coordinate behavior across time and space, especially through rhythmic and discrete signals. This position centers on developing mathematical and computational models (e.g., dynamical systems, agent-based models) and running extensive parameter sweeps to explore hypotheses grounded in real experimental data. We are looking for someone who treats modeling as a way to uncover how organisms work, not just as a technical exercise.

The ideal candidate is someone who is deeply passionate about biological systems and their quirky signaling strategies, and who thrives on creative thinking. You’ll be the go-to person in the lab for building simple but powerful simulations that test our wildest ideas. While some machine learning tools will be used for data analysis (e.g., classifying behaviors from videos or sounds), the focus will be on applying existing tools rather than developing new ML architectures.

The Peleg Lab is located within the BioFrontiers Institute and seeks to understand the behavior of disordered living systems by merging tools from physics, biology, engineering, and computer science, with a focus on honeybee communication (mechanical and chemical). Further information on the BioFrontiers Institute can be found here: https://www.colorado.edu/biofrontiers/

Who We Are

At the University of Colorado BioFrontiers Institute, researchers from the life sciences, physical sciences, computer science, and engineering are working together to uncover new knowledge at the frontiers of science and partnering with industry to transform their discoveries into new tools. The BioFrontiers Institute is uniquely defined both by our excellent faculty, research, and leadership and by the scientific and geographical ecosystem that empowers our work. BioFrontiers has a unique “frontier” culture that allows our researchers to explore new areas of bioscience by maximizing the resources and talents across the Institute and the university system. The Institute integrates faculty members from eleven academic departments, allowing them to work across fields. BioFrontiers drives innovation without boundaries.

Your Key Responsabilities

• Construct mathematical and computational models of rhythm formation and synchronization in biological systems, using a dynamical systems approach, agent-based models, and large-scale parameter sweeps on supercomputers.
• Conduct high-level analysis of both experimental data and model outputs to identify trends, extract meaningful conclusions, and refine hypotheses.
• Work closely with an interdisciplinary team of experimentalists, field biologists, and computational scientists to generate and test new ideas.

Our Offer

• $62,232 - $67,824 per year. Salary will be set in accordance with the NIH scale for Postdoctoral Scholars.
• Relocation assistance is available per department guidelines.

Requirements

• PhD in a relevant field (e.g., computational biology, physics, bioinformatics, neuroscience, AI/ML, or related disciplines).
• True passion for biological systems and animal behaviors spanning from the deep sea to terrestrial.
• Experience with agent-based models, large-scale simulations, and dynamical systems.
• Ability to run and analyze large parameter sweeps on high-performance computing clusters.
• Capacity to synthesize findings across both experimental data and simulation results to identify patterns, trends, and governing principles.
• Interest in interdisciplinary research spanning chronobiology, collective behavior, and evolutionary biology.
• Strong problem-solving skills, adaptability, and enthusiasm for working with complex, imperfect, real-world datasets.
• Willingness to collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of ecologists, marine biologists, and computational scientists.
• Experience with computer vision, sound analysis, or behavioral identification, particularly in biological or ecological datasets.

Application

To apply, please submit the following materials:

1. Resume/CV
2. Cover Letter

(Optional) Transcripts/Proof of Degree: If you are selected as the finalist, your degree will be verified by the CU Boulder Campus Human Resources Department using an approved online vendor. However, if your degree was obtained outside of the United States, please submit an English-translated version as an Optional document.

Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until 7/18/2025.

Note: Application materials will not be accepted via email. For consideration, applications must be submitted through CU Boulder Jobs.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: Recruiting@colorado.edu

Source and more details: https://jobs.colorado.edu/jobs/JobDetail/?jobId=65635