Join the Lab

Applications are now closed for PhD positions in my lab to start in fall 2026. Please stay tuned for postings in summer 2026 for a fall 2027 start date.

This page last updated October 18, 2025.

A note on diversity and inclusion

ranomafana

We are an equal-opportunity group, committed to enacting anti-racist and anti-sexist policies to promote inclusivity in our lab, the biological sciences, and the academy. We believe that black lives matter, women’s rights are human rights, and no life is illegal. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and lifestyles are enthusiastically encouraged to apply to any of the positions outlined below.

 

PhD Positions

I have now closed applications for PhD students to join my group in fall 2026 (fall 2025 application cycle). In general, my lab attracts motivated students with broad interests in disease ecology, conservation biology, and/or epidemiology who are eager to undertake a multi-faceted PhD involving some combination of field study, molecular work, and dynamical modeling. For recruits to start in AY2026-2027, I am particularly interested in a field-capable graduate student with a strong interest and/or background in international research and a desire to spend extensive amounts of time in Madagascar. I am also interested in students with strong wet lab skills in molecular detection of viruses in biological samples (PCR + NGS) or serological detection of antibodies in field-collected serum. Finally, I am always interested in students with a background or interest in building and fitting dynamical, mechanistic transmission models to infectious disease data and/or matrix population models to abundance data. Please see the UC Berkeley Department of Integrative Biology for details on graduate applications.

Postdocs

All funded postdoc positions in my lab are full at this time. However, independent postdoctoral fellows are always welcome, and I am happy to advise any interested individuals on related fellowship or grant applications. I have previous experience as both a Miller Fellow and a Branco Weiss Fellow myself and would be delighted to help strategize an application. UC Berkeley offers a range of fellowship opportunities; please feel free to reach out at [email protected] if you are interested in developing a fellowship application to join the group.

Undergraduates

We have several UC Berkeley undergraduate researchers in the lab at any given time and many small projects available for an interested student. As a policy, I do not allow undergrads to intern without pay, a practice that has been shown to exacerbate inequities in opportunity and access. We do not currently have any specific positions available at this time; however, UC Berkeley abounds with opportunities for proactive undergrads to acquire funding to carry out mentored research.

Undergraduates wishing to conduct summer research should explore funding opportunities through URAP, SURF, and Rose Hills programs at UC Berkeley.

If you are an undergrad with an interest in applying for one of these opportunities to conduct research in the lab, please email me at [email protected] to set up a meeting to discuss! The earlier you reach out prior to these deadlines, the better.

Field Technicians

We typically employ two Field Technicians in one-year positions based in Madagascar. These technicians work with Association Ekipa Fanihy to undertake bat capture and collection of biological samples for our longterm project, as well as rudimentary laboratory processing. These positions are targeted towards American post-baccalaureate students eager to work with Malagasy PhD students on Ekipa Fanihy. I have found this to be a rewarding experience for both American and Malagasy students in the past, allowing both parties to engage in scientific and cultural exchange.

Applications just closed for the Jan 2026 start date. Please see the field technician page for a description of the job posting. Please contact Cara Brook at [email protected] with any questions. We will likely hire again in spring 2026 for an August or September 2026 start date.

Outside of my lab, if you are interested in finding research positions in the field, you may want to explore the following job boards or research opportunities: