Postdoctoral Research Associate in Microbe-Mineral Interactions

Brookhaven National Laboratory•Ridge, NY

3d•$78,000 - $100,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Bioimaging Team at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to investigate microbe–mineral interactions, with a specific focus on critical minerals. This role offers a unique opportunity to combine advanced synchrotron-based imaging and spectroscopy with multi-omics approaches (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics) to understand the molecular mechanisms behind microbial transformations of critical minerals in both natural and engineered environments. The selected candidate will become part of an interdisciplinary team at the forefront of bioimaging and environmental systems science.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Genetics, Plant Biology or a closely related field.
Demonstrated experience in omics approaches, including: Genomics and transcriptomics, Proteomics (sample preparation, LC-MS/MS, data interpretation).
Experience with bioinformatics tools.
Strong record of peer-reviewed publications.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment.
Candidates must have received a Ph.D. by the commencement of employment.
Eligible candidates for research associate appointments may not exceed a combined total of 5 years of relevant work experience as a post-doc and/or in an R&D position, excluding time associated with family planning, military service, illness or other life-changing events.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Uncleared Personal Identity Verification (UPIV) credential.

Nice To Haves

Experience with synchrotron-based techniques or advanced microscopy.
Experience integrating multi-modal datasets (omics + imaging/spectroscopy).
Programming experience (e.g., Python, R, or similar tools for data analysis).

Responsibilities

Design and conduct experiments to elucidate microbial interactions with critical mineral phases under environmentally relevant conditions.
Investigate transcriptomic and genomic responses to fungi-mineral interactions for nutrient uptake.
Apply synchrotron-based techniques (e.g., X-ray fluorescence microscopy, XANES/EXAFS) to characterize mineral speciation, spatial distributions, and microbe–mineral interfaces.
Integrate imaging and omics datasets to identify molecular pathways involved in mineral solubilization, biomineralization, sorption, and redox transformations.
Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at scientific conferences.