Postdoc In Molecular Biology/Metabolic Engineering

Posting Title

Postdoc in Molecular biology/metabolic engineering

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Location

CO - Golden

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Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NREL

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NREL stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future. Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NREL, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

Learn about NREL's critical objectives: NREL's Mission and Vision.

Job Description

The Biosciences Center at NREL has an immediate opening for a full-time Postdoctoral Researcher position within the Bioenergetics Group. The researcher will conduct research supported primarily by the US Department of Energy for better understandings of thermophilic bacteria relating to sugar/substrate utilization and hydrogen metabolism. Research projects will involve genetic manipulation, adaptive laboratory evolution, and metabolic engineering principles. We are seeking candidates with experience in microbial cultivation, molecular biology techniques, metabolic engineering, and an ability to apply fundamental knowledge of bacterial physiology and metabolic engineering principles for strain development. A multidisciplinary background in microbial cultivation, strain engineering, and molecular biology with hands on experience in genetically modifying anaerobic bacterial species would be ideal for this position.

The successful candidate will:

• Work safely and independently in a laboratory setting
• Plan and execute research independently and in collaboration with other researchers from NREL, academia, other national labs, and industrial partners.
• Communicate scientific methods and results effectively, both in written and oral formats
• Author peer-reviewed publications
• Work effectively in a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers.

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Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years.

• Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• PhD. in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biological Engineering, Biochemistry, or a closely related field.
• Fundamental understanding of bacterial metabolism and physiology
• Experience in molecular cloning, including PCR, plasmid design, construction, and transformation.
• Ability to deliver high-quality results within project timelines
• Strong record of quality peer-reviewed publications

Preferred Qualifications

• Proven ability to genetically engineer bacteria (e.g., knock out/in of genes)
• Capability to design and perform anaerobic fermentations
• Experience with analytical techniques such as HPLC and GC
• Prior experience in designing and performing various biochemical and molecular assays (e.g., qPCR, enzyme activity measurements)
• Knowledge of anaerobic bacterial cultivation

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $74,900 - $123,600

NREL takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability insurance; pension benefits; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.

• Based on eligibility rules

Badging Requirement

NREL is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Reasonable Accommodations

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