AFSWelcome

Recruitment Announcement for High-Level Talent at the Center for Agricultural Microbiology

of Huazhong Agricultural University

The Agricultural Microbiology discipline at Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU), founded by Professor Chen Huakui, a founder of China’s soil microbiology discipline and academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has grown robustly after being approved as a national key discipline and through generations of effort. Over the past two decades, it has nurtured distinguished talents such as academicians Deng Zixin (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Chen Huanchun, and Jin Meilin (Chinese Academy of Engineering), making significant contributions to agricultural microbiology research and talent development in China. The discipline boasts national research platforms, including the National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and the National Engineering Research Center of Microbial Pesticides, with a strong research foundation in germplasm innovation, functional gene discovery, and novel microbial product development.

To accelerate the development of an innovation hub and talent center for agricultural microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University established the Center for Agricultural Microbiology in 2026. The Center aims to build an ultra-high-throughput, automated, intelligent, and precise comprehensive research facility, creating a world-class hub for scientific research, talent cultivation, and industrial transformation, and striving for recognition as a national center for agricultural microbiology. To support this initiative, we are now recruiting high-level leading talents globally.

I. Positions and Requirements

Position 1: Chief Scientist in Microbial Resources

Responsibilities. The candidate is expected to lead the strategic planning and implementation of the Center for Agricultural Microbiology; oversee microbial resource exploration, conservation, management, and utilization; conduct cutting-edge research in microbial diversity, microbe-host-environment interactions, and agricultural microbial product development or commercialization; organize applications for national center for agricultural microbiology, plan and implement related projects, and facilitate commercialization of research outcomes; organize and coordinate domestic and international exchanges and cooperation.

Requirements. The candidate is expected to be a leading figure in the field with long-term experience in microbial resource exploration and utilization, recognized internationally for innovative thinking and research experiences, and competitive representative outcomes; have experience in leading or participating in large-scale scientific facilities or microbial resource projects, and priority will be given to candidates with high-throughput microbial resource exploration experience.

Position 2: Scientist in Precision Instrument Design and Manufacturing

Responsibilities: The candidate is expected to design and develop high-end instruments and equipment for research and engineering purposes in fields including microbial resource exploration, microbe-host-environment interactions, and microbial product development; conduct integrated equipment development aligned with the Center for Agricultural Microbiology’s technical roadmap and participate in major instrument technology breakthroughs.

Requirements: The candidate is expected to have at least 10 years of experience in precision instrument design and manufacturing, serving team leadership roles; have led or participated in internationally leading instrument development projects with landmark achievements and core patents; be proficient in design theory, manufacturing processes, and performance optimization of precision instruments; be skilled in developing applications in mechanical engineering, microelectronics, optics, or nanotechnology; capable of international team collaboration, with priority given to candidates experienced in instrument commercialization or market-oriented translation.

Position 3: Scientist in Automation Control

Responsibilities: The candidate is expected to independently design and optimize automation control systems for large-scale research facilities related to agricultural microbiology experiments; apply AI and digital technologies for large-scale microbial resource development and microbe-host-environment interaction studies; develop comprehensive solutions and implementation pathways for future intelligent microbial research facilities.

Requirements: The candidate is expected to have at least 10 years of experience in automation control system design and implementation; be proficient in control system design, modeling, simulation, and optimization, with mastery of sensing technology, big data analysis, and AI algorithm applications; show innovative thinking for solving complex system control challenges; be capable of interdisciplinary collaboration in microbiology and related fields; have worked in prior influential cases or solutions for automation control, and priority will be given to candidates with experience in developing and managing large-scale industrial or sector-level automation systems.

II. Supports and Benefits

1. Career Development: Successful candidate will be appointed as a professor or research fellow, incorporated into the university’s talent support system.
2. Remuneration and Benefits: Competitive salary, research funding, graduate student quotas, and excellent working conditions will be negotiated on an individual basis with the candidate. Team-based employment will be provided with additional startup funding and resource support. Eligible candidates may apply for named faculty positions, with additional competitive stipends provided by the university’s alumni foundation during the term.

III. Application Process

Applicant should send CV to rcb@mail.hzau.edu.cn.

Contact: Wu Fei

Phone: +86-27-87285113

Email: rcb@mail.hzau.edu.cn