Requisition Id 11423 

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 Synthetic Biology Group in the Biosciences Division (www.ornl.gov/bsd ), Biological and Environmental Systems Sciences Directorate (BESSD) of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has an opening for a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the field of fungal geneticist to work as part of Agile BioFoundry (ABF), a consortium of national laboratories dedicated to accelerating carbon-negative biomanufacturing (https://agilebiofoundry.org/ ). ABF is funded by DOE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and supports BETO’s goals to develop sustainable aviation fuels and decarbonize energy-intensive industries.

In this position, you will work as part of an interdisciplinary team to develop and adopt next-generation genome engineering tools for non-model fungal organisms to enable the genetic enhancement of desirable traits above their native capabilities insuring clean and sustainable manufacturing efficiencies. You will be expected to integrate with technical support staff, as well as expert collaborators in microbial engineering and synthetic biology at ORNL and at partner institutions. You will also design and execute laboratory experiments, analyze quantitative data, write, and communicate results to the scientific community.

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Perform research in genetic engineering of non-domesticated filamentous fungi.
• Work with a diverse team of scientists
• Interface directly with internal and external partners in various disciplines
• Present research results at national scientific meetings
• Publish scientific results in peer-reviewed journals in a timely manner
• Participate in project planning and execution
• Work with staff to develop new proposals
• Maintain detailed and accurate records
• Acquire and analyze data in keeping with project scheduling
• Take a position of leadership for day-to-day laboratory operations while addressing all of ORNL's environmental health and safety requirements
• Self-assess experimental research skill set and identify weakness and secure learning resources to address these issues
• 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 fungal genetics, synthetic biology, microbial engineering, molecular biology, or a related field completed within the last 5 years

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with manipulating filamentous fungi.
• Experience with developing gene editing tools for non-domesticated fungal species.
• Experience with synthetic biology tools for fungi
• Experience with designing vector for versatile gene manipulation in fungi
• Experience generating and analyzing large datasets.
• Effective writing and presentation skills, demonstrated by a strong publication record from previous research.
• Desire to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Proven publication record
  Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Motivated self-starter with 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.

For additional information, contact Dr. Joanna Tannous (https://www.ornl.gov/staff-profile/joanna-tannous ).

You should apply directly through the ORNL careers website (https://jobs.ornl.gov/ ). Applications cannot be accepted through email or any other means.

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.