Institution
Carnegie Institution for Science
Location
Stanford, CA, USA
Earliest starting date
October 1, 2021
Closing date
Flexible, accepting applications until filled. Will start assessing applications on September 1, 2021.

Description
The Burlacot lab is opening on October 1, 2021 at the Department of Plant Biology of the Carnegie Institution for Science. We will start a scientific journey in the study of the molecular mechanisms that allow photosynthesis to be the major CO2 cycling mechanism in the atmosphere. We are seeking a molecular biology and algal physiology Lab Technician to help set up the lab and start new research programs in algal biology. We aim to recruit highly motivated and creative people with strong training in microbiology and molecular biology.

Our lab aims to understand the acclimation of photosynthesis to environmental fluctuations and the dynamics of the molecular mechanisms involved. The questions that our lab aims to address are: How are microalgae dynamically reacting to environmental fluctuations? How do molecular mechanisms of photosynthesis dynamically interact to optimize cell survival and growth under fluctuating conditions? How do the different time scales of photosynthetic energy transfers combine at various time scales of light fluctuations? What genes are important for acclimation to such fluctuations? Can we modify key enzymes to make photosynthesis more robust to some environments?

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in microbiology, Plant science, cell biology or a related field.
• Good skills in microbiology and molecular biology.
• Basic lab skills, preparing solutions, and sterile technique.
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel and Powerpoint required.
• Willingness to take responsibilities in a small team and to actively contribute to develop the lab organisation.
• Willingness to take part in building a dynamic, inclusive and interactive lab atmosphere.
• Willingness to develop synergistic interactions with other labs from the Carnegie Institution for Science and from Stanford University.
• Programming skills: ability to develop and implement simple codes in Python and/or Mathlab will be appreciated.
• Prior experience with microalgae or plants is a plus but is not necessary.