Postdoctoral position studying the ecophysiology of soil microbes - University of Arizona
The Carini Laboratory in the Department of Soil, Water and Environmental Science at the University of Arizona is looking to hire a postdoctoral researcher to investigate the ecophysiologies of soil microbes.
We are not hiring for a specific project. Rather, we are hiring someone with their own vision of how cultivation-centric studies of the soil microbiome can be used to advance our knowledge of the function or biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. The individual hired will have the opportunity to substantially shape their research direction within the context of several ongoing projects.
Our laboratory investigates soil microbial diversity using the cell as the central unit of study. All of our projects lie near the intersection of cell biology, genomics (including genome evolution), microbial ecology and biogeochemistry. We use advanced cultivation-centric approaches to culture and study bacteria in oligotrophic environments, including the terrestrial shallow subsurface, the Sonoran desert and mining sites. We are particularly interested in understanding the microbial metabolism of trace gases (H2, CO and CH4), trace minerals and organic carbon and how these microbes interact with each other and plant roots.
This will be a 1-year appointment with a second-year option based on performance and availability of funds. Salary will be competitive.
We have several projects or datasets that can be quickly transformed into manuscripts. If you have a vision for a project that fits with what we do here, please reach out to Paul Carini.
Tucson is an affordable, beautiful and culturally diverse city in the Sonoran desert of southern Arizona.
Direct project-specific inquiries to paulcarini@email.arizona.edu
Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!
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With the goals above in mind, we:
• Culture ‘unculturable’ bacteria
• Investigate microbial physiology using genome-enabled hypothesis testing. This includes: genome analysis, RNA-Seq, metabolomics, proteomics, or some combination of these
• Seek to understand the drivers of microbial diversity within closely related microbial lineages and identify the implications of this diversity across scales from the cell to the ecosystem
• Study the genome evolution of oligotrophic soil microbes
• Pursue the development of functional genomics approaches (for example Tn-seq systems) in novel soil bacterial isolates
Minimum Qualifications:
- PhD in microbiology, molecular biology, microbial ecology or a related field
- Evidence of scholarly research productivity in the form of first-authored publications or preprints
- Tenacity, patience, and creativity
The most attractive applicant will additionally have experience with one or more of the following:
- Design and implementation of experiments with fastidious bacteria (oligotrophs, anaerobes, intracellular microbes, etc.), or a profound desire to learn these skills
- Genome analysis, metabolic reconstruction and genome-enabled hypothesis generation
- Generating and analyzing data from microbial transcriptomics, metabolomics, or proteomics studies
- TnSeq library construction and data analysis
Please note: You will be required to provide contact information for a minimum of three professional references within your application. Should you be selected as a finalist for this position, your references may receive an automatic email. This email will ask your references to complete a brief questionnaire in regard to your suitability for the position as well as request the attachment of a letter of recommendation.
At the University of Arizona, we value our inclusive climate because we know that diversity in experiences and perspectives is vital to advancing innovation, critical thinking, solving complex problems, and creating an inclusive academic community. We translate these values into action by seeking individuals who have experience and expertise working with diverse students, colleagues and constituencies. Because we seek a workforce with a wide range of perspectives and experiences, we provide equal employment and affirmative action opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. As an Employer of National Service, we also welcome alumni of AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other national service programs and others who will help us advance our Inclusive Excellence initiative aimed at creating a university that values student, staff and faculty engagement in addressing issues of diversity and inclusiveness.