Postdoctoral Research Associate - Plant Synthetic Biology

Requisition Id 12278 

Overview: 

As a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science national laboratory, ORNL has an extraordinary 80-year history of solving the nation’s biggest problems. We have a dedicated and creative staff of over 6,000 people! Our vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) is to cultivate an environment and practices that foster diversity in ideas and in the people across the organization, as well as to ensure ORNL is recognized as a workplace of choice. These elements are critical for enabling the execution of ORNL’s broader mission to accelerate scientific discoveries and their translation into energy, environment, and security solutions for the nation.

The Biosciences Division (http://www.ornl.gov/sci/ees/bsd/) of ORNL has an opening for a plant biologist (Postdoctoral Research Associate, Plant Synthetic Biology) to work on plant biosystems design and genetic improvement of bioenergy crops. This research is supported by the Secure Ecosystem Engineering and Design Science Focus Area (SEED SFA) (https://seed-sfa.ornl.gov/) and the DOE Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI) (https://cbi.ornl.gov/).

In this position, the postdoctoral researcher will work in close collaboration with a diverse team of scientists to perform the following research tasks: 1) Engineering of plant hosts for regulating associated microbes, 2) engineering of plant-based biosensors for detecting microbes, 3) multi-gene engineering in plants, and 4) new plant synthetic biology tool development.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Design and build gene constructs
• Transform gene constructs into plants
• Molecular and phenotypic analysis of genetically modified plants
• Present research progress in project meetings and national/international conferences
• Publish scientific results in peer-reviewed journals in a timely manner
• Maintain detailed and accurate records
• Acquire and analyze data in keeping with project scheduling
• Ensure compliance with environmental, safety, health, and quality program requirements
• Maintain strong dedication to the implementation and perpetuation of values and ethics
• Deliver ORNL’s mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace – in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in plant biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, or a related field completed within the last 5 years

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expertise in molecular cloning (e.g., Gibson assembly, Golden Gate cloning)
• Experience in plant transient gene expression (e.g., leaf infiltration, protoplast transformation)
• Experience in plant stable transformation in model and non-model plants
• Experience in plant genome editing and pathway engineering
• Effective writing and communication skills with a strong publication record
• Desire to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team

Applicants cannot have received their Ph.D. more than five years prior to the date of application and must complete all degree requirements before starting their appointment. The appointment length will be for up to 24 months with the potential for extension. Initial appointments and extensions are subject to performance and the availability of funding.

Please submit three letters of reference when applying to this position. You can upload these directly to your application or have them sent to postdocrecruitment@ornl.gov with the position title and number referenced in the subject line.

Instructions to upload documents to your candidate profile:

• Login to your account via jobs.ornl.gov
• View Profile
• Under the My Documents section, select Add a Document

Benefits at ORNL:  

ORNL offers competitive pay and benefits programs to attract and retain talented people. The laboratory offers many employee benefits, including medical and retirement plans and flexible work hours, to help you and your family live happy and healthy. Employee amenities such as on-site fitness, banking, and cafeteria facilities are also provided for convenience.

Other benefits include: Prescription Drug Plan, Dental Plan, Vision Plan, 401(k) Retirement Plan, Life Insurance, Pet Insurance, Generous Vacation and Holidays, Parental Leave, Legal Insurance with Identity Theft Protection, Employee Assistance Plan, Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, Wellness Programs, Educational Assistance, Relocation Assistance, and Employee Discounts.

If you have difficulty using the online application system or need an accommodation to apply due to a disability, please email: ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

This position will remain open for a minimum of 5 days after which it will close when a qualified candidate is identified and/or hired.

We accept Word (.doc, .docx), Adobe (unsecured .pdf), Rich Text Format (.rtf), and HTML (.htm, .html) up to 5MB in size. Resumes from third party vendors will not be accepted; these resumes will be deleted and the candidates submitted will not be considered for employment.

If you have trouble applying for a position, please email ORNLRecruiting@ornl.gov.

ORNL is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans, are encouraged to apply.  UT-Battelle is an E-Verify employer.