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Job Description

The successful candidate will contribute to one or more USDA-funded research projects. The
research projects will focus on studying the formation of multi-species biofilms on commonly used
materials in livestock production and processing. The goal is to understand how these biofilms can
integrate and protect pathogens from external stress. Using multi-omics tools, you will study
interactions in the multi-species biofilm contributing to the central goal of the research. The
candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with investigators and partners from various
institutions, including the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the USDA-ARS Meat
Animal Research Center. This is a two-year research project, and as a national priority project.

Duties:

• Conducting research utilizing both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches
to study interactions in the multi-species biofilm.
• Developing innovative methods for interactions in the multi-species biofilm
• Analyzing microbiome data using multiple omics tools, including metagenomics,
genomics, metatranscriptomics, and microscopic imaging.
• Conducting statistical analyses.

• Assist with writing grant proposals, manuscripts, and presentation of research results at academic symposiums/lab meetings.
• Train junior lab members.

Other duties as required.

Required Education and Experience:
• PhD in microbial ecology, microbiology, microbial genetics/genomics, or biochemistry.

Some experience working in BSL-2 environment.

• Demonstrated publication record.

Required special knowledge skills and abilities:

• Ability to work independently.

Ability to multi task and work cooperatively with others.

• Ability to communicate results, interpretations, and recommendations and answer complex questions internally and externally.

• Strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills.

• Ability to participate in meetings with stakeholders/industry representatives.

Preferred special knowledge skills and abilities:

Ability to work under a BSL-3 environment.
• Hands-on post-graduate ’wet’ lab experience.
• Molecular biology experience, DNA/RNA extraction, qPCR, and primer design.
• BSL-3 experience, particularly with respiratory pathogens.
• Virus cell culture techniques.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.