Requisition Id 9476 

Overview: 

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is the largest US Department of Energy science and energy laboratory, conducting basic and applied research to deliver solutions to compelling problems in energy and security. Our capabilities span a broad range of scientific and engineering disciplines, enabling the Laboratory to explore fundamental science challenges and to carry out the research needed to accelerate the delivery of solutions to the marketplace.

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate who will support the Synthetic Biology Group in the Biosciences Division (BSD), Biological and environmental Systems Science (BESSD) Directorate at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).   

The Postdoctoral Research Associate will 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) multi-gene engineering for trait stacking in plants, and 3) new plant transformation technologies.

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

Basic Qualifications:

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

Preferred Qualifications:

• Expertise in molecular cloning
• Experience in plant stable transformation and protoplast transient gene expression
• Experience in plant genome editing and pathway engineering
• Experience in plant genomics
• Effective writing and communication skills with a strong publication record
• Desire to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team

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

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.

Moving can be overwhelming and expensive. UT-Battelle offers a generous relocation package to ease the transition process. Domestic and international relocation assistance is available for certain positions. If invited to interview, be sure to ask your Recruiter (Talent Acquisition Partner) for details.

For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the “About” tab at jobs.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.