Research Scientist Position
Location: University of Oklahoma, Norman Campus
Open Date: Nov 06, 2024; until filled.
Department: Institute for Environmental Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences.
URL: https://apply.interfolio.com/158652
Description
The University of Oklahoma (OU), Norman campus, seeks to fill a full-time Research Scientist position in Quantitative Ecology, Applied Mathematics, and/or Computational Science to support research and educational programs in Environmental Microbiome/Genomics/Ecology, at the Institute for Environmental Genomics (IEG, https://www.ou.edu/ieg).
The main responsibilities of this position are to: (i) develop novel mathematical/computational algorithms, biogeochemical models, or other mathematical frameworks enhanced by big microbiome data analysis; (ii) design and develop computational tools or pipelines for mathematical/statistical analysis of microbiome data (sequencing and gene chip data); (iii) manage different servers, pipelines, and cloud computing systems; (iv) coordinate the efforts for applying supercomputing on the OU campus to microbiome studies; and (v) train postdocs and graduate students for advanced computational and statistical approaches. Opportunities exist for the successful candidate to participate in grant proposal development as a PI or Co-PI. The scientist can also hold adjunct faculty positions within relevant academic departments such as School of Biological Sciences or School of Computer Science.
Review of applications will begin on November 4, 2024 and continue until the position is filled. A near-term start date is desired.
Qualifications
Education
Competitive applicants should have a Ph.D. in Computational Science or related disciplines, e.g., Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Bioinformatics, Biological or Environmental Engineering, Ecology, Microbiology, or Biochemistry.
Skill
The candidate should have:
· Substantial knowledge/experience in Quantitative Ecology, Microbial Ecology, Metagenomics, Applied Mathematics in Dynamical Systems, or related disciplines;
· Strong research experience and skills in various aspects of computing, including but not limited to the following: algorithm development, predictive model design and implementation, data mining and machine learning, big data processing and management, parallel programming, computational tool/pipeline development, supercomputing, and/or cloud computing;
· Experience in microbiome and system biology studies related to bioenergy, climate change, environment pollution, or human health would be desired;
· Excellent oral and written communication skills and a demonstrated ability to interact and collaborate with team members and students;
· Experience in proposal development, although not required.
Application Instructions
Interested applicants should prepare the following documents:
· A letter of application
· A current curriculum vitae
· A description of research interests and accomplishments
· The names and contact information for at least three references
To apply, please submit the materials mentioned above to Interfolio: http://apply.interfolio.com/158652
ALL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY ONLINE. Inquiries should be directed to: Dr. Jizhong (Joe) Zhou (jzhou@ou.edu) or Daliang Ning (ningdaliang@ou.edu). Salary will be commensurate with experience, expertise and skills. Further information about the institute can be found on the IEG website: http://ieg.ou.edu/.
Postdoctoral Research Associate Positions
Location: University of Oklahoma, Norman Campus
Open date: Oct 29, 2024; until the positions are filled.
URL: http://apply.interfolio.com/157796
About the Job
We are seeking multiple (3~4) highly motivated and collaborative postdocs with demonstrated skills in one or multiple areas of ecosystem modeling, machine learning, microbiome, microbial ecology, soil science, or computational biology. The positions are for several different projects, including (P1) experimental-data-informed, machine-learning-enabled benchmarking and development of land carbon cycle in earth system models; (P2) grassland microbiome responses to climate change, nutrient addition or disturbance at the global scale; (P3) predictive understanding of microbiome dynamics and functioning in nature and engineering systems (e.g., grassland, bioreactors, wastewater treatment systems, etc.). P1 is a 3-year DOE-sponsored project that started in September 2024. The postdoc working on P1 will develop and test deep learning algorithms for model emulation and model parameter learning in the land carbon cycle; and work with collaborators from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to implement these algorithms into the DOE Earth system model (E3SM). The postdocs on P2 and P3 will be responsible for sample collection or management, microbiome analysis, data processing, integration, synthesis, and modeling. Besides, the postdocs could participate in studying microbial feedback to climate change in our long-term climate change facility if they are interested. The postdocs will also be encouraged to collaborate with other laboratory members on diverse research projects at the Institute for Environmental Genomics (http://ieg.ou.edu/).
The postdocs will be employed in the Institute for Environmental Genomics (IEG) and the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Oklahoma and supervised by Jizhong Zhou, Zheng Shi, or Daliang Ning. The positions will be renewed annually, for up to 3~5 years. The successful candidates will receive cross-training in professional and personal development, research collaboration, presentation and publication of results, proposal development, outreach, and mentoring. The positions include a competitive salary and health insurance. Review of applications will begin Oct 31, 2024, and will continue until the positions are filled. A near-term start date is desired.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications:
1) Ph.D. in ecosystem ecology, Earth system science, or computer science is required for P1; Ph.D. in biology, microbiology, soil science, environmental science, or other relevant disciplines is required for P2 and P3.
2) Strong background in ecosystem modeling, global land carbon modeling, machine learning, and/or statistics is required for P1. Strong background in microbial ecology, metagenomics, soil science, theoretical ecology, bioinformatics, and/or ecosystem modeling is required for P2 and P3.
3) Demonstrated ability to code in Python and Fortran is required for P1; general programming or molecular experiment skills are required for P2 and P3.
4) Excellent quantitative, writing, and presentation skills.
5) Experience publishing peer-reviewed publications.
Preferred Qualifications:
1) Demonstrated ability to direct and run independent research project(s).
2) Multidisciplinary knowledge and research experience in ecology, microbiology, engineering, bioinformatics, computer science, mathematics, statistics, data mining, parallel programming, supercomputing, or cloud computing.
3) Experience collaborating with diverse and geographically distant teams.
About the Institute
The Institute for Environmental Genomics (http://ieg.ou.edu/), led by Dr. Jizhong Zhou, has state-of-the-art facilities for the study of microbial functional genomics, microbial ecology, metagenomics, mathematical modeling, and biotechnology development to address fundamental scientific questions. Our current projects include examining the impact of climate change on microbial communities and the global carbon cycle, understanding the global water microbiome, examining the response of microbial communities to contaminants (U, nitrate, pH, Cr) important to the U.S. DOE, designing bioinformatics tools for ‘big data’ analysis, developing and expanding high-throughput metagenomic tools and techniques such as microarrays, sequencing, and single-cell genomics to examine microbial communities, and developing gene manipulation tools using the CRISPR-Cas9 system, etc.
How To Apply
Interested individuals should send their curriculum vita, a description of research interests and accomplishments (e.g., publications), and the names and telephone numbers of at least three references to Dr. Jizhong Zhou (jzhou@ou.edu), Zheng Shi (zheng.shi@ou.edu), and Daliang Ning (ningdaliang@ou.edu). Salary will be commensurate with experience, expertise and skills. Further information can be found on the IEG web site: http://ieg.ou.edu/. You will submit your application via Interfolio on the link here: http://apply.interfolio.com/157796
Special Instructions
If selected as a final candidate for this position, you will be subject to The University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Tuberculosis Testing policy. To view the policy, visit https://hr.ou.edu/Policies-Handbooks/TB-Testing.
