Job Abstract

Berkeley Lab’s (LBNL) Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology (EGSB) Division has an opening for a Postdoctoral Fellow to join a New Systems Biology and Microbiome project.

In this exciting role, you will have the opportunity to develop new genetic tools for non-model bacteria, including those from the plant rhizosphere and field soil and apply these tools to characterize microbial gene function on a massive scale. The research will focus on the use of methanotrophic bacteria in reducing methane emissions in rice fields and wetlands. A recent example of tools developed by the team includes random barcode transposon site sequencing (RB-TnSeq; PMID 2596844), dual barcoded shotgun expression library screening (Dub-seq; PMID 30659179), and magic pools for parallel testing of genetic systems in bacteria (PMID 29359196).

This position will have the opportunity to work on novel microbial isolates from rice fields and be responsible for the establishment of methodologies that will enable the genome engineering using RB-TnSeq to generate gene mutant libraries, sequencing, and computational analysis of mutant libraries in plant-microbe experiments in a high-throughput manner. You will perform plant-microbe bioassays, analyze microbiome sequencing data, and present your findings in conferences and peer-reviewed journals. In addition, you will have the opportunity to work with a diverse team of LBNL-based and external collaborators, including those in the ENIGMA and m-CAFEs Scientific Focus Areas (SFAs).

This position has an anticipated start date of July 1, 2024.

What You Will Do:

• Culture and genetically engineer diverse bacteria.
• Generate and analyze large-scale genetic datasets using high-throughput methods.
• Design and construct DNA plasmids.
• Create, design, and execute plant-microbe experiments using barcoded libraries of transposon mutants in diverse microorganisms to investigate metabolism and gene regulation.
• Perform fluorescence microscopy.
• Isolate novel microbes from field soil.
• Apply bioinformatics tools for the analysis of large-scale genomic/metagenomic data.
• Infer the functions of previously uncharacterized genes and pathways in diverse bacteria using high-throughput genetics data.
• Publish in peer review journals and deliver scientific presentations at scientific meetings.
• Collaborate with a team of experimental and computational scientists on experimental design, data analysis, and long-term project planning.
• Keep a detailed laboratory notebook and upload data in relevant databases.
• Participate during research group meetings.

What is Required:

• A recent Ph.D. (within the last 1-3 years) in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, or a related discipline.
• Experience with microbiology techniques including culturing bacteria.
• Experience with molecular biology techniques including PCR, qPCR, cloning, and whole genome amplification.
• Knowledge of Microbial Ecology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Biogeochemistry, Molecular Biology and an understanding of key and complex biological concepts including genes, pathways, and microbial phylogeny.
• Experience with UNIX utilities and filesystems, R statistical analysis platform, and standard bioinformatics tools and databases.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including the ability to organize/present technical reports and provide a proven track record of recent or pending scientific publications.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills including experience collaborating with a diverse interdisciplinary research team.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with Microbial Genomics and Metagenomics, including data processing/ analysis.
• Experience with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) platforms (Illumina, PacBio, ONT).
• Familiarity with command line sequence analysis tools (e.g., Last, Hmmer, Megahit, MetaSpades, etc.).

Notes:

• For full consideration, please apply with a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume by May 31, 2024.
• This is a full time, exempt from overtime pay (monthly paid), 2 year (benefits eligible), Postdoctoral Fellow appointment with the possibility of renewal based upon satisfactory job performance, continuing availability of funds, and ongoing operational needs. You must have less than 3 years of paid postdoctoral experience.
• The monthly salary range for this position is $5,643-$6,766 and is expected to start at $5,643 or above. Postdoctoral Fellow positions are represented by a union for collective bargaining purposes and are paid on a step schedule per union contract. Salaries are predetermined based on postdoctoral step rates. Each step represents one full year of completed post-Ph.D. postdoctoral and/or related research experience.
• This position may be subject to a background check. Any convictions will be evaluated to determine if they directly relate to the responsibilities and requirements of the position. Having a conviction history will not automatically disqualify an applicant from being considered for employment.
• This position will be performed onsite at the West Berkeley Biocenter (Potter St.) — Bldg. 977 located at 717 Potter Street Berkeley, CA 94710.

Learn About Us:

Berkeley Lab (LBNL) addresses the world’s most urgent scientific challenges by advancing sustainable energy, protecting human health, creating new materials, and revealing the origin and fate of the universe. Founded in 1931, Berkeley Lab’s scientific expertise has been recognized with 16 Nobel prizes. The University of California manages Berkeley Lab for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

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