The Postdoctoral Associate position is a unique opportunity to join the Shedd Aquarium Microbiome Project, the world’s first comprehensive look at microbiomes in a controlled aquarium ecosystem. Created in partnership with Argonne National Laboratories, the University of Illinois, Illinois Institute of Technology and the United States Department of Agriculture, the Project aims to characterize aquatic microbial communities and deepen the understanding of how they relate to complex environmental conditions and animal health.
 
As representatives of the “built environment” and facsimiles of native habitats, aquariums offer a unique opportunity to study aquatic microbiomes. Controlled systems, with inputs, outputs and processes that are accurately known and precisely documented with years of high-confidence data, enable us to explore how changes in environmental parameters have system-wide effects. The available project position will explore the impact of these changes on the community structure and function of microbial populations. Research is facilitated by an onsite microbial ecology laboratory which includes high-throughput Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) and robotic fluid handling capabilities. The selected candidate will also share research findings at scientific conferences and deliver informal presentations to Aquarium leadership and staff.
 
Projects include exploration of how the community structure of microbial populations is impacted by ozone disinfection, UV disinfection, changes in recirculation rates and other parameters under the control of managers. The selected candidate will also have the opportunity to be the first to analyze and publish data previously collected from a variety of aquatic systems and host-species.
 
Position Length: 2-year appointment, with possible extension depending on performance.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Demonstrate commitment to Shedd's vision, mission and values
• Analyze large data sets resulting from 16S ribosomal DNA- based sequencing
• Preparation of manuscripts for publication
• Collaborate with Project Director and Lab Manager to refine and implement an efficient workflow for extraction, sequencing, analysis and reporting
• Share research findings at scientific conferences and deliver informal presentations to Aquarium leadership and staff
• Demonstrate a commitment to professional and personal growth by initiating dialogue with colleagues, engaging in self-directed learning and focusing on professional development goals
• Fulfill other duties as required

Qualifications

Education:

• Ph.D. in bioinformatics, biology, microbiology, computational biology, statistics or related field

 
Experience:

• Familiarity with Linux-based software tools for next generation DNA sequence analysis of rRNA and metagenomic microbial datasets
• Experience with multivariate statistical analyses, programming languages, and mathematical modeling
• Strength in applying understanding of microbial population and community structure to clinical and environmental problem solving
• Record of primary contributions to peer-reviewed publications
• Outstanding quantitative and analytical skills
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Creativity, independence, and the desire to learn new things
• Ability to engage professionally with a diverse population of staff, volunteers and visitors