Postdoctoral Associate - Zhang Lab

DONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER • Olivette, MO

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Zhang Lab at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, studies how photosynthetic organisms respond to abiotic stresses (high temperatures/light) by using both green algae and land plants as models, with a particular focus on stress effects on photosynthesis. The lab will have an opening for a full-time postdoctoral researcher to work on a collaborative project about using algal photosynthesis to produce bioproducts, starting in July 2026. This project aims to integrate interdisciplinary, diverse approaches to investigate photosynthetic production of aromatic polymer intermediates in algal cells. The goal is to establish a new frontier in direct in vivo production of polymer intermediates in highly carbon efficient algal systems and contribute to the generation of clean fuels and bioproducts.

Requirements

• Highly motivated, goal-oriented, and productive individual
• Conduct research projects in a timely manner, with the expectation of meeting deadlines
• Have great passion for plant science
• Have strong background in molecular biology and/or genetics
• Be able to organize, multitask their time efficiently
• Work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary and interactive research environment
• Effective communication skills and open-minded for scientific discussion
• Ability to produce high-quality oral and written research products
• Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Ph.D. in Plant, Molecular, Cell Biology or related field

Nice To Haves

• Experience with photosynthesis, algal biology, omics (especially RNAseq and metabolomics), or computational analysis

Responsibilities

• Cultivate and phenotype algal cultures in photobioreactors
• Perform photosynthetic measurements in algal cultures
• Optimize and perform omics analysis
• Characterize algal mutants with altered metabolic flux
• Summarize research results and write related manuscripts
• Mentor undergraduate and/or high school interns as needed
• Help coordinate the collaboration between different teams
• Other duties as needed for the project

Benefits

• Training in algal biology, physiology (especially photosynthesis), genetics, and omics analysis
• Engage with collaborative labs with expertise in bioengineering, biochemistry, biotechnology, and biomanufacturing
• Opportunities for inter-disciplinary training
• Start-of-the-art equipment for plant science
• Excellent scientific environment
• Opportunities for professional development and networking

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees