Research Associate in Environmental Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Acoustofluidics of Marine Microplastics
HeriotWatt University
State University, Browse similar opportunities
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State University, Browse similar opportunities
The School of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) is an interdisciplinary research environment in which advances in the biological, chemical, physical, and engineering sciences are applied to enable and enhance life science research. The appointee will work on a NERC-funded project between two research groups within EPS (the Environmental Microbiology and Biotechnology group led by Associate Professor Tony Gutierrez and the Acoustic Fluidics and Engineering group led by Dr. Anne Bernassau). We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate specialising in microfluidics, cell sorting, and/or environmental and molecular microbiology related to the occurrence of microplastics in coastal waters and their biodegradation. The successful candidate will be based in Edinburgh and become part of the wider interdisciplinary team involved with the £1.4 million project “Sources, Impacts and Solutions for Plastics in South East Asia Coastal Environments”. The project involves a multidisciplinary team of experts from the UK (Heriot-Watt University, University of Stirling, National Oceanography Centre) and from Singapore (Nanyang Technological University), supported by collaborators in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, together with Project partners in Belgium and USA, government bodies in Singapore and regional stakeholder coordinating bodies.
The main responsibility of the appointee is to work on the design and development of an acoustofluidic classification and dynamic sorting device for the identification and quantification of microplastic particles from natural marine samples collected in southeast Asia, and to also undertake lab-based and in-situ biodegradation experiments using microbial and molecular techniques, such as DNA-based stable-isotope probing (SIP). The work is technically challenging and will require an experienced RA in acoustofluidics engineering or microbial/molecular biology, or ideally both.
The results of this work form part of the project “Sources, Impacts and Solutions for Plastics in South East Asia Coastal Environments”, in which we collaborating with the University of Stirling and several institutions in southeast Asia to address their plastics pollution challenges.
The position is for 2 years. Heriot-Watt University offers attractive salaries, based on experience and excellence criteria.
Expressions of interest and other queries should be sent by email to Dr. Gutierrez (Tony.Gutierrez@hw.ac.uk ) or Dr. Bernassau (A.Bernassau@hw.ac.uk ). Applications should consist of a single PDF (including a motivation letter, CV, publication list, and names of 3 references) and be submitted via the Heriot-Watt University website. The screening of candidates will start late February 2021, and continue until the position is filled. Start date: March – April 2021.
Applicants should hold a PhD in a relevant area of engineering, environmental microbiology, molecular biology or related subject (or a thesis submitted by the start date of the appointment).
The position is available for 24 months.
For application details and further information please go to: https://search.hw.ac.uk/s/search.html?collection=uk-jobs
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