Postdoctoral Appointee - Protein Engineering, Onsite

at  Sandia National Laboratories

ABOUT SANDIA

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation’s premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov

• These benefits vary by job classification.

WHAT YOUR JOB WILL BE LIKE

Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to do important and creative research? Sandia California’s Biomanufacturing and Biomaterials department is seeking a dedicated and hardworking Postdoctoral Scientist (job title: JBEI Postdoctoral Bio/Chem) with expertise in protein engineering to work with us in developing novel technologies for the enzymatic production of biofuels and bioproducts. We are currently exploring the use of different chemical and biological processes to efficiently valorize renewable biomass. The selected candidate will contribute to these efforts by developing enzymatic technologies to upgrade biomass-derived precursors to valuable biofuels and bioproducts. This work will include optimization of enzyme expression systems, characterization of the expressed enzymes, rational protein engineering, and kinetic modeling to improve product yields. We are seeking an individual with proficiency in enzyme engineering and expression in microbial hosts, and who can work with chemists and microbiologists to develop novel and integrated bioprocesses. This will be a multi-disciplinary effort, with opportunities to work with a wide range of experts in national labs and industry to conduct state-of-the-art R&D in green technologies to produce biofuels and bioproducts.

On any given day, you may be called on to:

• Screen enzyme candidates for heterologous expression in yeast and bacteria;
• Design experiments to evaluate the catalytic efficiency of the expressed enzymes;
• Perform structure-guided rational protein engineering;
• Use kinetic modeling to develop and optimize catalytic cascade systems;
• Present results at project meetings and conferences.

Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite.

QUALIFICATIONS WE REQUIRE

• PhD in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, or other closely-related, relevant field;
• Ability to conduct and communicate creative, independent research as proven through a record of high technical accomplishments (e.g., publication in high-impact scientific journals and/or presentations at national/international conferences).

QUALIFICATIONS WE DESIRE

• Proven experience in protein engineering and functional characterization;
• Experience with microbial enzyme expression and purification;
• Experience with in silico screening methods to identify relevant engineering targets and design enhanced enzyme variants;
• Familiarity with computational modeling approaches to describe and optimize systems with multiple enzymatic reactions;
• Analytical characterization skills (spectroscopy and chromatography);
• Experience with the enzymatic production of biofuels and bioproducts;
• Experience in research with set timelines and the ability to conduct creative, independent research;
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

NNSA REQUIREMENTS FOR MEDPEDS

If you have a Medical Portable Electronic Device (MedPED), such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, drug-releasing pump, hearing aids, or diagnostic equipment and other equipment for measuring, monitoring, and recording body functions such as heartbeat and brain waves, if employed by Sandia National Laboratories you may be required to comply with NNSA security requirements for MedPEDs.
If you have a MedPED and you are selected for an on-site interview at Sandia National Laboratories, there may be additional steps necessary to ensure compliance with NNSA security requirements prior to the interview date.

Please refer the Job description for details