Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Microbiology and Genomics

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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

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The expected pay range for this position is $65,000-70,000 per year plus benefits. Salary is competitive and commensurate with education and experience.

The Food Nutrition and Health Program at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow (PDF) to join the Wine Research Centre in collaboration with Renaissance Bioscience Corp. (https://www.renaissancebioscience.com/), under the supervision of Dr. Vivien Measday (https://measday-lab.landfood.ubc.ca/). The Faculty of Land and Food Systems is located in the beautiful city of Vancouver, BC Canada. The successful candidate will join a dynamic team of researchers with access to state-of-the-art facilities, and opportunities to collaborate with leading experts in academia and industry. This will be a two-year position, with an expected start date of September 1, 2025.

Overview

The PDF will make a vital contribution to the funded project entitled: “From Ecosystems to Industry: Integrating Genomic, Metabolomic, and Phenomics Tools to Capture the Genetic Diversity and Commercial Potential of Wild Yeast”. This project focuses on harnessing wild yeast diversity to establish genotype to phenotype links for a range of phenotypic traits with commercial applications. The candidate will conduct cutting-edge research in environmental microbiology and genomics while interacting closely with both academic and industry partners to help translate discoveries into innovative commercial products.

Specific activities include:

• Harnessing and characterizing natural yeast diversity through advanced genomic, metabolomic, and phenotypic analyses.
• Designing and implementing high-throughput phenotypic and enzymatic screening assays for various activities of interest utilizing lab automation technologies.
• Analyzing large-scale datasets generated from high-throughput phenotypic experiments to identify yeast strains with commercially desirable traits.
• Developing bioinformatic and machine learning pipelines to identify key genetic signatures associated with commercial metabolic activities.
• Collaborating closely with academic and industrial partners to align research objectives with commercial goals.
• Preparing research reports, manuscripts, and presentations for academic and industry stakeholders.

Qualifications and Experience

• PhD in microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, or a related life science field.
• Comprehensive technical expertise in microbiology, microbial ecology, and molecular biology, including sterile techniques, yeast cell culturing, DNA extractions, and PCR.
• Proven experience in designing and executing biochemical assays for phenotypic and enzymatic screening. Familiarity working with lab automation equipment, such as liquid handling and colony picking robotics is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in analyzing large-scale datasets from high-throughput experiments.
• Strong scientific creativity, problem-solving skills, and the ability to think independently.
• Exemplary teamwork, collaboration, and communication (verbal and written English) skills
• Strong scientific writing skills (publications, patents).

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in programming (e.g., R) and bioinformatics analysis for genomic datasets.
• Familiarity with omics approaches, including genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses.
• Experience with developing and applying machine learning algorithms to analyze biological data.

Application Process

Interested applicants should submit a one-page statement of interest letter, a curriculum vitae (CV) including a list of publications, and contact details for 3 references by April 30, 2025.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.