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Post-Doctoral Associate
Job Description
Posting Details
I. DEPARTMENT INFORMATION
| Job Description Summary: | GW has everything you need to succeed in discovery. Outstanding research , state-of-the-art facilities and world-class faculty support discovery and innovative solutions. Researchers and faculty across campus advance interdisciplinary and emerging research and scholarship. Our active GW Postdoctoral Association welcomes your engagement in social and professional activities as you join our research teams. Research guides, coding and data management solutions as well as extensive online journals from GW Libraries help to guide your study. The Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) supports the research infrastructure and facilitates several institutional research initiatives . A postdoctoral scientist position for highly motivated candidates is available in the laboratory of Dr. Jimmy Saw to investigate novel lineages of bacteria and archaea from geothermal environments. More information about the lab’s research can be found at https://sawlab.org . The Saw lab is interested in microbial diversity, ecology, and evolution in extreme habitats and use a variety of approaches to investigate extremophilic microbes. Metagenomics is one of the main techniques used in the lab to uncover previously uncharacterized and potentially novel microbial lineages from various environments. The lab also uses phylogenomic approaches to reconstruct evolutionary relationships among microbial groups. This position will investigate previously uncharacterized and largely unknown microbial lineages (both Archaea and Bacteria) from extreme environments such as hot springs, steam vents and fumaroles, and other related geothermal features. The successful postdoc will utilize cultivation-independent and -dependent methods to characterize microbial communities from geothermal habitats and will participate in field work, data collection, generation, and analysis. There will also be opportunities for them to mentor undergraduate and graduate students in the lab and participate in outreach activities. The candidate will also have freedom to formulate and develop their own research projects in addition to the one specified in this description and will be able to write grant proposals in collaboration with the PI. The candidate will also perform other duties relevant to the position as needed. Though there will be opportunities to participate in field expeditions, this position will mainly focus on metagenomics and utilization of thousands of metagenome-assembled genomes currently available in the PI’s lab to investigate various topics in microbial evolution and astrobiology. Due to the nature of this project, a postdoc who has a strong background in microbial metabolism and experienced in both “wet lab” experimental skills and “dry lab” or computational skills is highly desired. Some of the desirable “wet lab” skills crucial for this position are: DNA extraction from environmental samples such as soil or sediments, molecular biology skills, and experience with enrichment and isolation of microbes. Some of the desirable computational skills important for this position are: familiarity with the command line environment, Unix, Bash, etc, and tools to characterize microbial genomes and populations (such as metaSPAdes, Metabat2, and DADA2). The position requires the use of high-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon and metagenomic data and therefore, the candidate should have some experience in analyzing high-throughput sequence data and familiar with the use of R or Python languages in Unix/Linux settings or are willing to learn these tools. Duties: · Performing laboratory experiments such as DNA extraction from environmental samples, enrichment and cultivation of specific microbial lineages of interest, microscopy, preparation of buffers and reagents, recording of experimental results, observation and analysis of experimental data. · Manuscript and grant writing. · Supervision and training of junior lab members and laboratory management and some field work. A Postdoctoral Associate:
In collaboration with experienced researchers, this role will participate in the planning and conduction of discovery research, data analysis and interpretation, preparation of materials for publication, presentations at conferences and meetings, and may develop new theories and methodologies. This role can expect timely advice as to research directions and career planning for a future independent career. Performs other related duties as assigned. The omission of specific duties does not preclude the supervisor from assigning duties that are logically related to the position. |
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| Minimum Qualifications: | Qualified candidates will hold a Doctoral degree or comparable doctoral degree in a related discipline. Degree must be conferred by the start date of the position. |
| Additional Required Licenses/Certifications/Posting Specific Minimum Qualifications: | |
| Preferred Qualifications: | - Strong background in microbial metabolism. - Experience with enrichment and isolation of extremophiles. - Experience with DNA extraction of sediment samples. - Experience working with 16S rRNA amplicon and metagenomic data. - Knowledge of bioinformatic tools such as DADA2, Qiime, metaSPAdes, Metabat2, etc. - Experience in R and/or Python to analyze microbial genomic data. - Previous experience in working with extremophilic or related habitats. - Highly motivated and independent, with the ability to work in a dynamic team environment. - Exceptional organizational skills. - Strong verbal and written communication skills. - Ability to work with limited supervision. |
| Typical Hiring Range | Commensurate with Experience. How is pay for new employees determined at GW? |
II. POSITION INFORMATION
| Campus Location: | Foggy Bottom, Washington, D.C. |
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| College/School/Department: | Columbian College of Arts & Sciences (CCAS) |
| Family | Research and Labs |
| Sub-Family | Laboratory Research |
| Stream | Individual Contributor |
| Level | Level 3 |
| Full-Time/Part-Time: | Full time -> FTE 1.00 |
| Hours Per Week: | 40 |
| Work Schedule: | Monday-Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm |
| Will this job require the employee to work on site? | No |
| Employee Onsite Status | Hybrid |
| Telework: | |
| Required Background Check | Criminal History Screening, Education/Degree/Certifications Verification, Social Security Number Trace, and Sex Offender Registry Search |
| Special Instructions to Applicants: |
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| Internal Applicants Only? | No |
| Posting Number: | R002052 |
| Job Open Date: | 10/16/2023 |
| Job Close Date: | |
| If temporary, grant funded or limited term appointment, position funded until: | |
| Background Screening | Successful Completion of a Background Screening will be required as a condition of hire. |
| EEO Statement: | The university is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that does not unlawfully discriminate in any of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law. |
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