Postdoctoral Position in Dr. Michael J. Betenbaugh's Lab

Johns Hopkins University • Baltimore, MD

7d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is for a highly motivated and skilled Postdoctoral Researcher to join Michael Betenbaugh’s research lab. The successful candidate will lead an experimental project focused on improving filamentous fungi as platforms for the production of valuable biomolecules. The research will combine fungal cultivation, strain engineering, molecular biology, bioprocess development, and advanced analytical techniques to identify and overcome biological and process bottlenecks. The lab offers extensive opportunities to collaborate with industrial partners across the biopharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors and is part of the AMBIC biomanufacturing center. The initial appointment period is one year, with the expectation of two or more years in total. A supportive mentoring environment with regular one-to-one meetings with Dr. Betenbaugh is provided.

Requirements

• PhD in Chemical Engineering, Biological Sciences, Bioengineering, Biotechnology, Microbiology, or a related field.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team environment.

Nice To Haves

• Background in molecular biology, virology, and protein expression.
• Capacity to manipulate baculovirus and rAAV.
• Advanced microscopy, mathematical modeling, and machine learning techniques.
• Proficiency in data analysis, statistical modeling, and experimental design.

Responsibilities

• Conduct literature reviews on filamentous fungal biology, strain engineering, fermentation, and biomanufacturing technologies.
• Design and perform experiments to improve fungal growth, productivity, product quality, and process robustness.
• Culture filamentous fungi in shake flasks and bioreactors and evaluate the effects of media composition and process conditions.
• Apply molecular biology and genetic engineering techniques to modify and characterize fungal production strains.
• Use analytical methods to quantify growth, substrate consumption, metabolite production, and product yield and quality.
• Analyze and interpret experimental data to identify biological and process bottlenecks and guide subsequent experiments.
• Prepare and present research findings through journal articles, conference presentations, and internal reports.
• Maintain detailed documentation of experimental workflows, results, and methodologies.
• Communicate research progress and findings to academic and industrial collaborators.
• Assist in mentoring graduate students and junior researchers within the team.

Benefits

• Standard Johns Hopkins employee benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree