Postdoctoral Research Scholar

Description

The Microbial Ecosystems Lab, led my Dr. Glen D’Souza is seeking to fill a Postdoctoral research scholar appointment to drive interdisciplinary projects that focus on the ecology and evolution of microbiomes. The overarching goal of the lab is to understand the role of microbial interactions in governing ecosystems functions of microbiomes. 

The lab primarily studies microbial communities that grow on glycans (also termed as polysaccharides), which are the dominant stocks of carbon on the planet. The degradation of glycans by microbial cells has ramifications for human health as well as propagation of biogeochemical cycles crucial for planetary health. 

The lab specializes in using microfluidics coupled to automated time-lapse microscopy to study microbial interactions at the microscale. In addition, the lab has expertise in deploying evolution experiments, high-throughput growth assays, genetics and transcriptomics. 

Projects include studying the role of cell-cell interactions on nutrient cycling and productivity of microbiomes, and unraveling the role of eukaryotic hosts in controlling assembly and composition of heterotrophic bacteria in microbiomes. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with graduate researchers, develop and use novel interdisciplinary approaches to study model microbial communities and expand into newer directions to understand the role of microbiomes in carbon sequestration. The candidates will also have the flexibility to determine the directions of projects to accommodate their scientific interests and future goals. 

The candidates will also have the opportunity to provide mentorship to undergraduate and/or graduate students and help will scientific outreach. The candidates will also have the opportunity to lead scientific collaboration, both across ASU and internationally, thereby enabling them to broaden their research portfolio and scientific network. Since this is new lab, the candidates will play a strong part in shaping the lab infrastructure and environment. 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

•  Postdoctoral scholar must be within five years from receipt of the doctoral degree in Microbiology, Microbial Ecology, Marine Biology, Biogeochemistry, Computational Biology or a related field at the time of employment.
• Basic laboratory experience with molecular biology, microbiology, or biochemistry
• Experience leading a microbiologically oriented project
• Expertise in coding in Python or R (for data analysis and visualization), and handling large datasets or files
• Ability to work across disciplines, on a team, or with stakeholders
• Demonstrated experience in the publication of peer-reviewed research

Desired Qualifications

• Understanding of microbial ecology, microbial metabolism, or molecular microbiology
• Experience with microfluidics, microscopy, or environmental microbiology
• Experience with microbial genomics
• Experience with biochemical assays, e.g. carbon, lipid, or protein measurements 
• Experience with statistics 
• Excellent communication skills in English 
• Commitment to foster a healthy lab and work environment
• Experience and commitment to communication of research products through presentations at international conferences or peer-reviewed publications

Application Instructions

Only electronic submissions will be reviewed. Incomplete applications will not be considered. To apply for this position, submit the following required application materials: 

• Cover letter 
• A complete curriculum vitae 
• The names and contact information of at least two references (name, position, title, organization, email, and phone number). 
• A description of why you are interested in this position and your aspirations
• A description of your previous work and the highlights of your PhD work.

The initial application deadline is May 5, 2025. Applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for a reserve pool. Applications in the reserve pool may then be reviewed in the order in which they were received until the position is filled. 

For questions or inquiries; please contact Glen D'Souza (glen.dsouza@asu.edu).

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

A background check is required for employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other basis protected by law.

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