Post Doctoral RA – Synthetic Biology for Biomining

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget. Our Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Integrated Discovery Sciences, and Energy and Environment. In addition, we have an Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus. The Integrated Discovery Sciences Directorate (IDSD) leads fundamental research across biology, chemistry, Earth and environmental sciences, materials science, advanced computing, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, mathematics, autonomy, and DOE national user facilities. Our vision is to accelerate scientific discovery by observing, understanding, simulating, predicting, and controlling dynamic biotic-abiotic processes and interactions within complex biological, chemical, material, and Earth systems. We intentionally connect disciplines to advance fundamental discovery science, develop transformative scientific capabilities, and address the nation's most important challenges in energy, environmental resilience, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, health, and national security. The Environmental Molecular Sciences Division is comprised of 18 interdisciplinary research teams focused on deciphering molecular-level interactions driving biological and environmental processes across temporal and spatial scales. Through computational analysis and modeling, these findings contribute to predictive understanding of how systems respond to environmental perturbations thus enabling solutions to the nation's energy, environmental, and human health challenges. The division also manages the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility housed on the PNNL campus that accelerates the research of scientists around the world by providing access to world-class expertise, instrumentation, and computational resources.

Responsibilities

The Functional and Systems Biology Group in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Division at PNNL seeks a motivated researcher with strong expertise in synthetic biology and high-throughput strain engineering to elucidate and exploit the fundamental molecular mechanisms governing rare earth element (REE) acquisition, accumulation, and sequestration in microbes. The position supports a project establishing biodesign principles for selective REE recovery from dilute, complex sources using genetically tractable non-model bacteria.

The successful candidate will lead strain engineering and synthetic biology efforts to interrogate and re-engineer these mechanisms. This includes:

• Applying modern genetic tools to identify genes that influence REE uptake, handling, and tolerance
• Modulating relevant metabolic pathways to understand the limits of accumulation capacity
• Developing genetic parts and regulatory systems that place accumulation and release under programmable control
• Building and screening libraries of candidate proteins and regulatory elements to improve performance

A closely coupled focus is the design and application of biosensors for in vivo reporting on intracellular metal dynamics, nutrient status, stress response, and efflux. The candidate will:

• Deploy compartment-localized sensors with fluorescent, colorimetric, and growth-based outputs
• Use cell-free expression to prototype designs
• Couple sensor readouts to actuator expression for self-regulating release

Integration with automated cultivation will enable high-throughput screening, closed-loop Design-Build-Test-Learn cycles, and rapid genotype–phenotype mapping, supported by high-throughput workflows that link biosensor phenotyping with spatially resolved and multi-omics analyses.

The candidate will work within a multi-researcher, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional team; integrate datasets using bioinformatics tools; deliver validated constructs, strains, and data on project milestones; contribute to publications, technical reports, lab protocols, and adhere to laboratory safety and compliance standards.

Position is onsite only, and located in Richland, WA.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Candidates must have received a PhD within the past five years (60 months) or within the next 8 months from an accredited college or university.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in bioengineering, microbial genetics, chemical engineering, synthetic biology, microbiology, biotechnology, or a related field, with demonstrated expertise in microbial strain engineering and synthetic biology, including strain optimization and troubleshooting of engineered pathways.
• Strong background in genome editing and gene regulation, including CRISPRi, CRISPR guide design, plasmid construction, and genomic integration, with experience genetically manipulating non-model or undomesticated microbes. This includes demonstrated ability to construct and screen large combinatorial libraries (e.g., Golden Gate assembly of multi-transcriptional-unit constructs, Gibson assembly, restriction-free cloning) and to develop plate-, growth-, flow-cytometry-, or image-based screening assays integrated with automated cultivation.
• Experience with biosensor design and application in vivo and in vitro, including split-enzyme or split-polymerase architectures; familiarity with cell-free expression for sensor prototyping is desirable.
• Proficiency in protein expression and analytical characterization (SDS-PAGE, Western blotting, FPLC) and in applying multi-modal phenotyping and bioinformatics/structural tools to link genetic drivers to phenotypic traits. Familiarity with metal-focused or spatially resolved analytics (ICP-MS, nanoSIMS, cryo-EM, ³¹P NMR, native MS) is advantageous.
• Experience contributing to large, milestone-driven, multi-institutional programs (DOE, DARPA, or comparable), with timely delivery of data and reagents to collaborating teams.
• A strong record of peer-reviewed publications, successful collaboration within interdisciplinary and multi-institutional teams, and experience supporting user or collaborative research programs are all advantageous.
• Strong organizational and communication skills, along with a demonstrated commitment to laboratory safety and compliance, are essential for success in this role.
• Demonstrated expertise in strain development, lab automation and genetic engineering.

About PNNL

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is a world-class research institution powered by a highly educated, diverse workforce committed to the values of Integrity, Creativity, Collaboration, Impact, and Courage. Every year, scores of dynamic, driven people come to PNNL to work with renowned researchers on meaningful science, innovations and outcomes for the U.S. Department of Energy and other sponsors; here is your chance to be one of them! At PNNL, you will find an exciting research environment and excellent benefits including health insurance, and flexible work schedules. PNNL is located in eastern Washington State—the dry side of Washington known for its stellar outdoor recreation and affordable cost of living. The Lab's campus is only a 45-minute flight (or ~3 hour drive) from Seattle or Portland, and is serviced by the convenient PSC airport, connected to 8 major hubs.

Benefits

Employees and their families are offered medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, robust telehealth care options, several mental health benefits, free wellness coaching, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, basic life insurance, disability insurance*, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, tuition assistance, relocation, backup childcare, legal benefits, supplemental parental bonding leave, surrogacy and adoption assistance, and fertility support. Employees are automatically enrolled in our company-funded pension plan* and may enroll in our 401(k) savings plan with company match*. Employees may accrue up to 120 vacation hours per year and may receive ten paid holidays per year.

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