Post Doctoral Associate

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The laboratories of Profs. Max Haggblom ( https://dbm.rutgers.edu/personnel/max-haggblom.html) and Lee Kerkhof ( https://marine.rutgers.edu/team/lee-kerkhof/) in the Departments of Biochemistry & Microbiology and Marine & Coastal Sciences are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join a NSF-funded research project for an international project aimed at establishing genetic, phylogenetic and functional mechanisms that shape microbiome diversity of polar and alpine soils.

This project delineates mechanisms that lead to diverse soil microbial communities that are hallmarks of stable and sustainable soils. The overarching hypothesis is that resource partitioning, selective predation, and temporal separation of activity each contribute to the success of particular bacterial strains/species in polar and alpine systems. The international research team (Rutgers University, University of Delaware, Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, University of Pretoria) will focus on testing these hypotheses in soils across Arctic, Antarctic and Tibetan Plateau habitats with the Acidobacteria as a model microbial phylum for study. Laboratory- and field-based approaches will be linked to describe the genetic, phylogenetic and functional diversity the Acidobacteria, one of the most ubiquitous but elusive bacterial phyla found in terrestrial ecosystems around the globe.

This is a 100% grant-funded full-time position, employment in this position is contingent upon the availability of funds.

Candidates should have a PhD in microbiology, molecular biology, or a closely related field with expertise in microbial molecular ecology and cultivation of environmental microbes and have demonstrated ability to disseminate results via peer-reviewed publications and presentations. Prior experience with DNA isolation from diverse environmental sample, Nanopore sequencing of DNA and data analysis is required.

The project requires a postdoctoral researcher with experience in microbiology and molecular ecology. The researcher will work on cultivating novel Acidobacteria, sequencing their genomes, assessing their phenotypes, and linking this information to culture-independent community data.

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, military status or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment based on any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment.

Interested candidates should upload a cover letter, CV including list of publications, and the names and contact information for three references. For additional information about the position, please contact Professor Max Haggblom, haggblom@rutgers.edu