Posting Title

Postdoctoral Researcher – Geomicrobiologist

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Location

CO – Golden

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Position Type

Postdoc (Fixed Term)

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Hours Per Week

40

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Working at NREL

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Golden, Colorado is the nation’s primary laboratory for research and development of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.

From day one at NREL, you’ll connect with coworkers driven by the same mission to save the planet. By joining an organization that values a supportive, inclusive, and flexible work environment, you’ll have the opportunity to engage through our ten employee resource groups, numerous employee-driven clubs, and learning and professional development classes.

NREL supports inclusive, diverse, and unbiased hiring practices that promote creativity and innovation. By collaborating with organizations that focus on diverse talent pools, reaching out to underrepresented demographics, and providing an inclusive application and interview process, our Talent Acquisition team aims to hear all voices equally. We strive to attract a highly diverse workforce and create a culture where every employee feels welcomed and respected and they can be their authentic selves.

Our planet needs us! Learn about NREL’s critical objectives, and see how NREL is focused on saving the planet.

Note: Research suggests that potential job seekers may self-select out of opportunities if they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage anyone who is interested in this opportunity to apply. We seek dedicated people who believe they have the skills and ambition to succeed at NREL to apply for this role.

Job Description

The Biosciences Center at NREL has an immediate opening for a full-time Postdoctoral Researcher position. The researcher will work on projects supported primarily by the US Department of Energy to explore microbial means to stimulate or enhance geologic H2 production and investigate subsurface microbial interaction with H2 and rocks/minerals.  We are seeking candidates with experience in geomicrobiology, microbial physiology, microbial ecology, and related fields.  A multidisciplinary background in microbial cultivation, molecular biology, microbial community composition analysis with hands on experience in microbial culture sampling, isolation, and related field work would be ideal for this position.

The successful candidate will:

• Work safely and independently in a laboratory setting.
• Plan and execute research independently and in collaboration with other researchers from NREL, academia, other national labs, and industrial partners.
• Communicate scientific methods and results effectively, both in written and oral formats
• Author peer-reviewed publications
• Work effectively in a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers.

BEST Directorate

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Basic Qualifications

Must be a recent PhD graduate within the last three years in Environmental Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Geomicrobiology, Microbial Ecology, Biological Engineering, or a closely related field.

* Must meet educational requirements prior to employment start date.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Experience in microbial physiology
• Experience with basic analytical techniques such as HPLC and GC
• Ability to deliver high-quality results within project timelines
• Strong record of quality peer-reviewed publications

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in metagenomic analysis, e.g., genomic sequencing, characterization of microbial communities’ composition
• Fundamental understanding of subsurface microbe-mineral interactions
• Ability to perform targeted transcriptomics
• Knowledgeable of microbial H2 metabolism
• Prior experience in thermophilic or anaerobic microbial cultivation
• Strong communication and scientific writing skills demonstrated with a publication record that reflects this

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Job Application Submission Window

The anticipated closing window for application submission is up to 30 days and may be extended as needed.

Annual Salary Range (based on full-time 40 hours per week)

Job Profile: Postdoctoral Researcher / Annual Salary Range: $73,200 – $120,800

NREL takes into consideration a candidate’s education, training, and experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel (if any), external market and internal value, including seniority and merit systems, and internal pay alignment when determining the salary level for potential new employees. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions.

Benefits Summary

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; short-term disability insurance*; pension benefits*; 403(b) Employee Savings Plan with employer match*; life and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) insurance; personal time off (PTO) and sick leave; and paid holidays. NREL employees may be eligible for, but are not guaranteed, performance-, merit-, and achievement- based awards that include a monetary component. Some positions may be eligible for relocation expense reimbursement.

* Based on eligibility rules

Drug Free Workplace

NREL is committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace in accordance with the federal Drug-Free Workplace Act and complies with federal laws prohibiting the possession and use of illegal drugs. Under federal law, marijuana remains an illegal drug.

If you are offered employment at NREL, you must pass a pre-employment drug test prior to commencing employment. Unless prohibited by state or local law, the pre-employment drug test will include marijuana. If you test positive on the pre-employment drug test, your offer of employment may be withdrawn.

Submission Guidelines

Please note that in order to be considered an applicant for any position at NREL you must submit an application form for each position for which you believe you are qualified. Applications are not kept on file for future positions. Please include a cover letter and resume with each position application.

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EEO Policy

NREL is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard basis of age (40 and over), color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic partner status, military or veteran status, national origin/ancestry, race, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding), sexual orientation, and any other applicable status protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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