Job Description

Welcome to the . The UNT System includes the and , the and UNT Dallas , and the . We are the only university system based exclusively in the robust Dallas-Fort Worth region. We are growing with the North Texas region, employing more than 14,000 employees, educating a record 49,000+ students across our system, and awarding nearly 12,000 degrees each year.

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Posting Title Postdoctoral Research Assoc - BioDiscovery Institute
Department UNT-Biological Sciences-121100
College/School
Job Location Denton
Full Time/Part Time Full-Time
Retirement Eligibility ORP Eligible
Additional Retirement Information

For more information on retirement plan options, please visit .
Salary Information
Department Summary

The Department of Biological Sciences, one of four departments in the College of Science, has over 40 faculty, 175 graduate and 3,000 undergraduate students. Our faculty is a community of scholars dedicated to research and teaching in Ecology, Environmental Science, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Physiology, Neuroscience, Plant Biology, and Organismal-environment interactions. We offer Bachelor\'s degrees in Biology, Biochemistry, Ecology, Medical Laboratory Science, and Forensic Science, and Masters and PhDs in Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Environmental Science. We measure our success by the success of our students and the quality of our intellectual contributions to society.
UNT has a highly diverse campus with a wide range of languages spoken in addition to English. We welcome candidates who have experience with HSI/MSIs and/or who speak Spanish, Vietnamese, American Sign Language, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin and other variations), Arabic, Tagalog, Farsi, French, or/and Yoruba.
Position Summary

The laboratory of Dr. Ana Alonso (https://bdi.unt.edu/ana-alonso) in the
BioDiscovery Institute at the University of North Texas is looking for a highly
motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate in the fields of Plant
Metabolomics and Transcriptomics. The project aims to reconstitute complete metabolic pathways for pharmaceutical compounds produced by fungi within the plant host Nicotiana benthamiana. This first-of-its-kind study will establish a new concept for pharmaceutical production of valuable fungal products and may ultimately lead to medicines that can be delivered in plant seeds, eliminating downstream processing.

The postdoctoral research associate will work in collaboration with a team of 4-5 additional members. The successful candidate will perform studies to determine the effects on metabolic flux, perturbations of other metabolic pathways, and whether the presence of foreign enzymes is leading to toxic effects in fundamental plant processes or inducing internal defenses. More specifically, the postdoctoral researcher will conduct untargeted metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses on N. benthamiana leaves after transient expression of fungal megasynthases. In addition, the successful candidate will assist in training students, and preparing manuscripts/presentations. This work is part of a large collaborative project funded by the Keck Foundation for two additional years. Good social skills and the ability to work within a team are critical.
Minimum Qualifications

• A doctorate in plant science, biochemistry, biology, or related field.
• Prior experience with at least two of the following approaches: massspectrometry based metabolomics (LC-MS/MS), RNA-Seq, and/or Multivariate Analyses is required.
• Peer-reviewed publications in the field of metabolomics and/or transcriptomics.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience working with plants is highly desired.
• Programming skills are valuable.
• Strong scientific writing and communication skills are highly desired.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.

Required License / Registration / Certification
Physical Requirements Ability to communicate
Area of Specialty
Security Sensitive This is a security sensitive position.
EEO Statement

The University of North Texas System and its component institutions are committed to equal opportunity and comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University of North Texas System and its component institutions do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its application and admission processes, educational programs and activities, and employment practices.
Driving University Vehicle No

Job Duties

Description of Job Duty

Plan & conduct experiments in consultation with supervisor.
Description of Job Duty

Conduct experiments in accordance with all regulatory and safety policies.
Description of Job Duty

Make scientific observations, keep records of data and interpretations
Description of Job Duty

Prepare manuscripts for publication and scientific reports based on
experimental results.
Description of Job Duty

Prepare presentations or presentation materials of results in support of
projects. Work effectively with others when appropriate.

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number F1302P
Special Instructions to Applicants

For your application, you will have to submit: 1) Cover Letter; 2) Curriculum Vitae; 3) Statement of Research Interests; 4) List of Names and Email for 3 Professional References
Quicklink for Posting
Position End Date (if temporary)

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*). * Do you have previous experience working with plants?

• No
• Yes, limited.
• Yes, extensive.
• Do you have previous experience with metabolomics?

• No.
• Yes, limited.
• Yes, extensive.
• Do you have previous experience in Transcriptomics?

• No
• Yes, limited.
• Yes, extensive
• Do you have previous experience with Multivariate Analysis?

• No.
• Yes, limited.
• Yes, extensive.
• Do you have previous experience with Programming?

• No.
• Yes, limited.
• Yes, extensive.

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents * Cover Letter

• Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of Research Interests
• References - List of Names and Contact Information for 3

Optional Documents

University of North Texas