Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Microbial Ecology

• $70,891 to $96,193
• Fixed-term, full-time
• Translational Research Institute

Who are we looking for?

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Microbial Ecology to join School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Academic Division.

The successful applicant will work on the ecology of anaerobic methanotrophic microorganisms present in freshwater sediments. Anaerobic archaea are the linchpin in the global methane cycle, as its biological source and an as-yet poorly quantified anaerobic methane sink – a role historically attributed only to aerobic bacteria. Since a large amount of methane is emitted from freshwater systems, understanding the microbes able to consume it under anaerobic conditions before it is emitted to the atmosphere is a vital knowledge gap. The influence of these anaerobic methanotrophs (ANME) on the atmospheric methane budget is poorly parameterized in models, partly because their metabolisms are often syntrophic and they are yet to be grown in pure culture. A key focus of the postdoctoral fellow’s work will be to visualise syntrophic partnerships between these ANME and their syntrophic partners using novel fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH)-based methods. In addition, the applicant will also develop and apply high throughput anaerobic isolation methods for their targeted enrichment and isolation, enabling for their detailed characterisation.

Real world impact

QUT is a major Australian university with a global outlook and a ‘real world’ focus. We are an ambitious and collaborative institution that seeks to equip our students and graduates with the skills they will need in an increasingly disrupted and challenged world.

The Centre for Microbiome Research was established in 2020 by Professor Gene Tyson, an expert in the field of microbial ecology. Professor Tyson and his team are actively involved in the development of innovative culture-independent molecular approaches and bioinformatic tools, and their application to answer important questions about microbial communities across a range of ecosystems. The team is made up of researchers with diverse expertise within microbial ecology and genomics, providing an intellectually robust and collaborative environment.
The Centre is located within the Translational Research Institute (TRI) – a unique multidisciplinary facility located at the Princess Alexandra hospital with a strong focus on translational research. This positions the team amongst top researchers and clinicians from diverse disciplines such as genomics, bioinformatics, immunology, oncology and gastroenterology, and provides the team with access to state-of-the-art core facilities. The Centre also has a dedicated PC2-certified laboratory fully equipped for molecular biology that includes an in-house white light laser confocal microscope (Leica), a PromethION (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) and access to a NovaSeq 6000 (Illumina). The Centre has a BD FACSAria Fusion fluorescence activated cell sorter with small particle detection and liquid handling robots for single cell genomic and culturing work, and maintains anaerobic culture and quarantine facilities. CMR houses its own high-performance computing resources consisting of >1,000 cores and 9 nodes. The operation of these facilities is supported by professional staff for microscopy, flow cytometry, sequencing and bioinformatics.

What you need to succeed

You will also be an active researcher with an exciting and developing research profile that strives to create impact and change and contributes to cutting edge knowledge.  

You will demonstrate:

1. Education, training and/or relevant experience equivalent to the completion of a PhD in a relevant field (microbial ecology, microbial genomics, bioinformatics).
2. Demonstrated experience and knowledge of either anaerobic culture, fluorescence microscopy or single cell genomics
3. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team, along with proven ability to autonomously organise and prioritise tasks and workflow to meet project deadlines.
4. High level communication skills, including demonstrated written communication skills and strong interpersonal skills.
5. Ability to problem solve, logically plan and coordinate research activities, and critically assess existing literature and methods.

Careers at QUT

Our culture is vibrant, inspiring and challenging. It’s a world where like-minds come together with a commitment to making a real world difference, no matter what the area of expertise.

Beyond personal and professional fulfilment, a career at QUT brings a broad range of tangible benefits. QUT is a high quality and flexible organisation that is proud of its excellent employment conditions which include but are not limited to:

• Parental leave provisions
• Study support encompassing leave and financial assistance
• Comprehensive professional development
• Salary Packaging

Explore Life at QUT

Reference number: 221214

Term: Fixed-term, full-time basis until 31 December 2023

Remuneration: $AUD83,894 to $AUD113,836 pa (LEVA) (inclusive of $AUD70,891 to $AUD96,193 pa salary, 17% superannuation and 17.5% recreation leave loading)

Location: Translational Research Institute

Job opens: 09-Nov-2022

Applications Close: 09-Jan-2023 at 11.30pm

At QUT, our values reflect what we believe in, and what is important to us as an organisation. They capture our strengths, our distinctiveness and sit alongside the priorities outlined in our Blueprint 6, and guide our decisions and actions.

QUT aims to inspire and shape the future with talented students and staff from diverse communities , united by our core values of Ambition, Curiosity, Integrity, Inclusiveness, and Innovation.

If you’re curious, innovative, and ready to experience what a career at QUT can offer, we’re ready to meet you. You can find out more about this role and how to apply by clicking ‘Apply’ or the link below.

View the job details at: https://qut.nga.net.au/?jati=E738EA8C-7385-B8EE-3A95-C918FA9627B0

For further information on the position, please view the Position Description accessible here: https://qut.nga.net.au/publicfiles/qut/jobs/37BB0B75-BE5D-73F6-B91E-C9171FB86946/221214%20-%20PD%20-%20Postdoctoral%20Research%20Fellow.pdf