Requisition Id 11337 

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.

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

The work will use cutting edge technologies to investigate soil metabolomics, nitrogen use efficiency, and biological nitrification inhibition in bioenergy-relevant crops. Metabolomics data will eventually be used to identify genes associated with exudated molecules in plants which may be used to manipulate plant nitrogen use efficiency and metabolite exudation. Efforts will focus on using cutting edge, high throughput liquid extraction mass spectrometry assays to probe soil exudate chemistry across a large plant populations. This work includes field soil collections, chemical method and assay development, and validation on model and real-world systems.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Develop and evaluate new analytical methodologies for exploring soil exudate metabolomics and nitrogen use efficiency by high throughput liquid extraction mass spectrometry and apply them to samples collected from the field
• Evaluate and interpret metabolomics data and associate with phenotypes across plant populations to understand biological processes

• Present and report research results at meetings and conferences and publish scientific results in peer-reviewed journals in a timely manner
• Work with ORNL staff and other postdoctoral research associates and students to accomplish research goals
• Ensure compliance with environment, safety, health, and quality program requirements
• Maintain strong commitment 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 Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, or a related field completed within the last 5 years

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with biological systems and biochemistry of plants or soil
• Experience with high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry
• Experience with chemical separations (e.g., liquid-liquid, or solid phase microextraction) and other sample preparation methods for mass spectrometry
• Experience in data analysis, such as for chemical, metabolomic or genomic datasets
• An excellent record of productive and creative research demonstrated by publications in peer-reviewed journals

• Self-motivated and safety conscious

• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• The ability to work independently and to participate creatively in collaborative teams across the laboratory
• Ability to function well in a fast-paced research environment, set priorities to accomplish multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to ever changing needs

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 or call 1.866.963.9545.

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.