Postdoctoral Fellow (Wrighton lab)

Colorado State University, United States

Updated: over 2 years ago

Location: Fort Collins, COLORADO

Deadline: 17 Jan 2022

Posting Details

Working Title	Postdoctoral Fellow (Wrighton lab)
Position Location	Fort Collins, CO
Research Professional Position	Yes
Posting Number	202101521AP
Position Type	Admin Professional/ Research Professional
Classification Title	Postdoctoral Fellows
Number of Vacancies
Work Hours/Week	40
Proposed Annual Salary Range	$50,000-$70,000 plus appropriate benefits. Salary is commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Employee Benefits	Colorado State University (CSU) is committed to providing employees with a strong and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Visit CSU’s Human Resources website for detailed benefit plan information for permanent full-time and part-time faculty and administrative professional employees in the following University benefit areas: https://hr.colostate.edu/hr-community-and-supervisors/benefits/benefits-eligibility/ & https://hr.colostate.edu/prospective-employees/our-perks/ .
Desired Start Date	03/01/2022
Position End Date (if temporary)
To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by 11:59pm (MT) on	01/17/2022
Description of Work Unit	This position will have key affiliations across the CSU campus. First, it is affiliated with the CSU microbiome network, which is a community of scholars interested in understanding the functional and structural basis of microbiomes, and their ecological relevance, and applications to host (human, animal, plant) and environmental systems. Dr. Wrighton’s laboratory is housed in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences where faculty, staff, and students use cutting-edge computational, laboratory, and field based research to develop solutions to solve the most pressing issues related to earth ecosystems. She also has non-salaried affiliation with the department of microbiology, immunology, and pathogenesis.
Position Summary	A postdoctoral position with a focus on the gut microbiome is available in the laboratory of Dr. Kelly Wrighton. This position is part of a National Institutes of Health (NIAID) R01 supported research effort that investigates chemical and microbiological changes that occur temporally during inflammation induced by diet or pathogen (Salmonella) invasion. The successful post-doctoral candidate will perform computational and statistical analysis on the murine and human microbiome to understand microbial interactions with health and disease. This job will entail applying and developing microbiome analyses using multi-omic data from the mouse and human gut. The objective of the ongoing research is to identify features of the microbiome using shotgun metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequencing, metabolomics, and 16S amplicon sequencing data to discover taxa, gene families, enzymes, and/or pathways associated with various phenotypes, exposures, and outcomes. There will be regular interactions with internal and external contacts, including collaborators and their laboratories who provide expertise in metabolomics and Salmonella pathogenesis. Mentoring duties include PhD or Masters students in the laboratory, while optional teaching duties include the development of guest lectures in Dr. Wrighton’s classes and short course workshops.
Required Job Qualifications	Ph.D. in microbiology, bioinformatics, computational biology, or closely related field by the beginning of the appointment Experience using whole genome and metagenome sequence data to perform metabolic reconstruction of microbial isolates or communities A strong background in microbial metabolism and microbial ecology Strong track record running command line tools and pipeline use including those used for (meta)genome assembly, genome binning, gene expression analyses (metatranscriptome, or metaproteome), and read mapping Advanced skills in microbiome data analyses including programming in Unix and R or similar programs A strong record of publication related to the use of microbial genome-resolved techniques Excellent work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to work independently and in a team The applicant must be able to communicate effectively and manage relationships with other professionals, especially those outside the applicant’s discipline The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date. The department will not sponsor a visa for this position.
Preferred Job Qualifications	Strong grounding in best practices and current literature in the gut microbiome field Publication experience in mammalian gut systems and pathogenesis Experience with python scripting Experience with long-read sequencing (Nanopore) analysis Knowledge of Salmonella pathogenesis or other pathogen models Ability to cultivate microorganisms in the laboratory, ideally from gut systems Past work with murine model systems, including study design and sample collection Interest and aptitude with working with new data types in multi-modal analysis Statistical knowledge of working with time series analysis Experience working with metabolomics or proteomics data, especially from microbial communities
Diversity Statement	Reflecting departmental and institutional values, candidates are expected to have the ability to advance the Department’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Essential Duties

Job Duty Category	Research
Duty/Responsibility	Microbiome data collection, analysis, and presentation. Presentations will include oral and written, at project, university, and national meetings.
Percentage Of Time	50

Job Duty Category	Authorship
Duty/Responsibility	Lead and contribute to writing of annual reports, grants, and first-author publications (~2-3 publications to journals).
Percentage Of Time	35

Job Duty Category	Mentoring
Duty/Responsibility	Partial mentorship responsibilities for a graduate student working on this project in the Wrighton laboratory. Providing assistance to other laboratory members in microbiome bioinformatics pipelines (graduate students, post-doctoral researchers and research associates).
Percentage Of Time	15

Special Instructions to Applicants	Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but for full consideration, all materials must be received by 01/17/2022. Applicants should upload the following: a cover letter addressing qualifications; curriculum vitae; contact information of three professional references, one of who is/was an immediate supervisor, who has firsthand knowledge of the applicant’s profession abilities. References will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates. Transcripts may be requested at a later date to confirm degree completion. For inquiries about the position, contact Reb Daly at [email protected]. For additional information about the Wrighton laboratory, visit https://wrightonlab.com/.
Conditions of Employment	Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires)
Search Contact	[email protected]
EEO Statement	Colorado State University is committed to providing an environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based on race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or pregnancy in its employment, programs, services and activities, and admissions, and, in certain circumstances, marriage to a co-worker. The University will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Colorado State University is an equal opportunity and equal access institution and affirmative action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce and complies with all Federal and Colorado State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action. The Office of Equal Opportunity is located in 101 Student Services. The Title IX Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Title IX Programs and Gender Equity, 123 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-1715, [email protected] . The Section 504 and ADA Coordinator is the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, CO 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, [email protected] . The Coordinator for any other forms of misconduct prohibited by the University’s Policy on Discrimination and Harassment is the Vice President for Equity, Equal Opportunity and Title IX, 101 Student Services Building, Fort Collins, Co. 80523-0160, (970) 491-5836, [email protected] . Any person may report sex discrimination under Title IX to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education .
Background Check Policy Statement	Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.