The Zhang Lab at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, studies how photosynthetic organisms respond to abiotic stresses (high temperatures/light) by using both green algae and land plants as models, with a particular focus on stress effects on photosynthesis. For more information about the Zhang lab, please visit our webpage: https://www.ruzhanglab.org/

We have an immediate opening for a full-time postdoctoral researcher to work on a NSF funded, collaborative project titled with “Epigenetic Regulation of Heat Stress Memory in Photosynthetic Cells”. This project aims to integrate interdisciplinary, genome-scale, high-throughput approaches to elucidate fundamental biological questions about how plant cells tolerate repeated high temperatures, particularly focusing on photosynthetic processes. This project will address the understudied, stress-induced heat stress memory over multiple generations using highly controlled algal cultures (unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) and model plants (the dicot model Arabidopsis thaliana and the monocot model Setaria viridis) grown in soil under physiologically relevant conditions. The research will help improve crop resilience to heat stress, drive innovative agricultural solutions in response to rising global temperatures.

Responsibilities:

• Cultivate and phenotype algal cultures in photobioreactors
• Lead the maintenance, genotyping, and phenotyping of algal mutant library
• Grown and phenotype plant models in growth chambers
• Perform photosynthetic measurements in algal cultures and plants
• Optimize and perform omics analysis
• Generate and characterize algal and plant mutants deficient in heat responses, especially heat stress memory
• Summarize research results and write related manuscripts
• Mentor undergraduate and/or high school interns as needed
• Help coordinate the collaboration between different teams
• Attend educational outreach events associated with the project
• Other duties as needed for the project.

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Highly motivated, goal-oriented, and productive individual
• Conduct research projects in a timely manner, with the expectation of meeting deadlines
• Have great passion for plant science
• Have strong background in molecular biology and/or genetics
• Be able to organize, multitask their time efficiently
• Work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary and interactive research environment
• Effective communication skills and open-minded for scientific discussion
• Ability to produce high-quality oral and written research products
• Strong problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Candidates who have experience with photosynthesis, stress responses, omics, high-throughput phenotyping, or computational analysis are especially encouraged to apply
• Live the Danforth Center values: Collaboration, Diversity & Inclusion, Innovation, Integrity & Respect, Environmental Sustainability, and Stewardship

Opportunities for the postdoc:

• Training in plant physiology (especially photosynthesis), omics analysis, genetics, and high-throughput phenotyping
• Engage with collaborative labs with expertise in epigenetics, genomics, and computational biology
• Opportunities for inter-disciplinary training
• Start-of-the-art equipment for plant science
• Excellent scientific environment
• Opportunities for professional development and networking

Education Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Plant, Molecular, Cell Biology or related field

Submission:

• Submit an on-line application, include the files below
• A 1–2-page cover letter describing academic background, research experience, research interest, and career goals
• CV
• Contact information for three professional references