Postdoctoral Researcher - Systems and Synthetic Biology for Critical Mineral Recovery

About the role

Posting Title Postdoctoral Researcher - Systems and Synthetic Biology for Critical Mineral Recovery. Location CO - Golden. Position Type Postdoc (Fixed Term). Hours Per Week 40. Working at NLR NLR is located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation's primary laboratory for energy systems research and development.

Join the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), where world-class scientists, engineers, and experts are accelerating energy innovation through breakthrough research and systems integration. From our mission to our collaborative culture, NLR stands out in the research community for its commitment to an affordable and secure energy future.

Spanning foundational science to applied systems engineering and analysis, we focus on solving complex challenges to deliver advanced, secure, reliable, and cost-effective energy solutions. Our work helps strengthen U.S. industries, support job creation, and promote national economic growth.

At NLR, you'll find a mission-driven environment supported by state-of-the-art facilities, multidisciplinary research teams, and strong collaborations with industry, academia, and other national laboratories. We offer robust professional development opportunities, and a competitive benefits package designed to support your career and well-being.

About the role

The RRES Center at NLR has an opening for a full time Postdoctoral Researcher within the Synthetic Biology and Bioconversion group. The initial appointment is for one year, with possible renewal up to three years. The successful candidate will utilize systems and synthetic biology approaches to uncover microbial processes for metal homeostasis and utilization, and engineer biological systems for metal recovery.

The successful candidate will be able to: * Work safely and independently in a laboratory setting * Plan, execute, and troubleshoot research * Collaborate effectively with others within and across disciplines * Communicate scientific results effectively, both in written and oral formats Author peer-reviewed publications.

Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years. * Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date. Additional Required Qualifications Strong understanding of bacterial metabolism and genetics Research experience in synthetic biology including designing synthetic operons, constructing plasmids, and genome editing Experience generating and analyzing systems biology datasets such as proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, and fluxomics Strong safety record Ability to deliver high-quality results within aggressive timelines Strong communication skills Preffered

Pay and benefits

Experience programming in R or Python Experience with whole genome sequencing and analysis Experience working successfully in multi-disciplinary teams Strong organizational skills Routinely exhibits creative and critical thinking to problem solve Preferred Qualifications. Job Application Submission Window The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week) Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $76,600 - $126,400 NLR takes into consideration a candidate's education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees.

In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee's salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits

Summary Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability insurance*; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NLR employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component.

Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement. * Based on eligibility rules Badging Requirement NLR is subject to Department of Energy (DOE) access restrictions. All employees must also be able to obtain and maintain a federal Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card as required by Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12), which includes a favorable background investigation.

• Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.
• If you are offered employment at NLR, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment.
• Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana.
• If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NLR you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application..