Microbial communication– post-doc position available

• Location

InnoRenew CoE
Livade 6a
6310 Izola, Slovenia

• Mission

The primary goal of this position is to design and study microbial biofilms that incorporate fungi, algae, and bacteria, focusing on understanding the interactions and communication within these multispecies communities.

Key tasks include:
-cultivating and maintaining multispecies co-cultures of fungi, algae, and bacteria
-employing advanced microscopy and analytical techniques to observe and analyze biofilm structure and function
-detecting and analyzing quorum sensing and quorum quenching
-exploring symbiotic relationships and metabolic exchanges within these biofilms.

• Skills

-A Ph.D. degree in biology, microbiology, biotechnology, synthetic biology, environmental engineering, or related fields
-A strong foundation in microbial ecology or environmental microbiology, with an understanding of interactions within mixed microbial communities, involving fungi, algae, and/or bacteria
-Practical experience with multispecies co-cultures, particularly involving fungi, algae, and bacteria
-Proficiency in microscopic and spectroscopic techniques, molecular biology, and cultivating and maintaining algae and fungi in laboratory conditions, including their integration into mixed-species biofilms
-Research experience in symbiotic relationships and metabolic exchanges within mixed microbial communities
-Familiarity with quorum sensing mechanisms and the ability to manipulate microbial communication pathways

• Application

3 years contract with a 3-month trial period
Interested applicants should submit a single PDF file containing the following documents:
-Curriculum vitae
-Motivation letter for this post-doctoral position (maximum one A4 page)
-Summary (track record) of previous research experience (Ph.D. thesis, published journal papers, conference contributions)
-Certified copy of Ph.D. degree certificate and official transcript of records, and their translations, if the originals are not in English
-Contact information for two referees

All materials should be in English and submitted no later than 30 November 2024. Please insert “Post-doc microbial communication” in the subject line of your email and submit your application to coe@innorenew.eu

• Contact

For more specific inquiries about the research topic, please contact Associate Professor Anna Sandak at anna.sandak@innorenew.eu

More information