Pacific Northwest National Laboratory · 9 hours ago
Post Doctoral RA – Synthetic Biology and Biosensor Design
Richland, WA
Full-time
Onsite
New Grad, Entry Level
$69K/yr - $119K/yrPacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a world-class research institution focused on scientific research in various domains. They are seeking a motivated researcher with expertise in biosensors and high-throughput strain engineering to advance automated phenotyping and genome editing workflows for biofuels and bioproducts.
Biomass EnergyEnergyGovernmentProduct ResearchSecurity
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Develop, optimize, and validate genetically encoded and/or synthetic biosensors that report on cellular states, metabolic fluxes, and target molecule production in microbial, fungal, and algal systems
Integrate biosensor readouts with automated cultivation and genome editing tools to enable high-throughput screening, closed-loop strain engineering, and rapid mapping of genotype-phenotype relationships
Design, develop, and implement high-throughput automated workflows for the EMSL User Program
Integrate biosensor-based phenotyping with high-resolution, single-cell analyses and multi-modal techniques (e.g., transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) to uncover genetic drivers of phenotypic traits, elucidate protein function, and guide iterative strain improvement
Work within a multi-researcher, interdisciplinary team to engineer strains with enhanced traits using genome editing and synthetic biology tools, informed by biosensor and multi-omics data
Refine biosensor designs and phenotyping strategies across cell-free, in vitro, and in vivo contexts
Integrate experimental datasets using bioinformatics and molecular tools
Contribute to scientific publications, user-facing protocols, and technical reports that highlight new biosensor technologies and their applications
Collaborate with interdisciplinary and multi-institutional teams, including EMSL users who will leverage these biosensor-enabled platforms
Ensure adherence to laboratory safety and compliance standards
Qualification
Required
Candidates must have received a PhD within the past five years (60 months) or within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university
Preferred
Ph.D. in microbiology, bioengineering, microbial genetics, chemical engineering, or a related field
Demonstrated expertise in strain development, lab automation, and genetic engineering
The ideal candidate will have a Ph.D. in microbiology, synthetic biology, bioengineering, or a related field, with demonstrated expertise in biosensor design, development, and application in vivo and in vitro
Experience developing and deploying genetically encoded or synthetic biosensors in microbial, fungal, and/or algal systems, as well as using cell-free expression or metabolic platforms to prototype and optimize biosensors, is highly desirable
Candidates should also have a strong background in strain engineering and genome editing tools (e.g., CRISPR/Cas, CRISPRa/i), and in integrating biosensor readouts with high-throughput phenotyping workflows and automated cultivation systems
Proficiency in applying multi-modal phenotyping techniques (e.g., transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, single-cell methods) to link genetic drivers to phenotypic traits, and in using bioinformatics tools to analyze and integrate these datasets, is preferred
A strong record of peer-reviewed publications, successful collaboration within interdisciplinary and multi-institutional teams, and experience supporting user or collaborative research programs are all advantageous
The successful candidate will interact with other staff and participate in team-based, collaborative research within PNNL and with external organizations. Therefore, strong written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills are essential for independently carrying out initial analysis of experimental data and presenting summaries to project managers and staff
Benefits
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Robust telehealth care options
Several mental health benefits
Free wellness coaching
Health savings account
Flexible spending accounts
Basic life insurance
Disability insurance
Employee assistance program
Business travel insurance
Tuition assistance
Relocation
Backup childcare
Legal benefits
Supplemental parental bonding leave
Surrogacy and adoption assistance
Fertility support
Company-funded pension plan
401 (k) savings plan with company match
Up to 120 vacation hours per year
Ten paid holidays per year
Company
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory operates as a government research laboratory.
Founded in 1965
5001-10000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
unknownKey Investors
US Department of Energy
2022-07-14Grant
2018-07-16Grant
Leadership Team
Allison Campbell
Associate Laboratory Director for Earth and Biological Sciences
Deborah Gracio
Laboratory Director
Recent News
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2026-01-11
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2026-01-03
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