Position Website and Application Information
One of the major challenges the world faces is how to provide sustainable sources of energy that meet societal needs as the population continues to grow. The Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI), with funding from the Department of Energy, will develop efficient ways to grow bioenergy crops, transform biomass into valuable chemicals, and market the resulting biofuels and other bioproducts. CABBI integrates recent advances in agronomics, genomics, and synthetic and computational biology to increase the value of energy crops — using a “plants as factories” approach to grow fuels and chemicals in plant stems, an automated foundry to convert biomass into valuable chemicals, and ensuring that its products are ecologically and economically sustainable. This holistic approach will help reduce our nation’s dependence on fossil fuels, thus increasing national security.
Job Summary
Assist with field work and laboratory experiments; collect and analyze plant, soil, gas and water samples for CABBI research projects; and support lab activities as part of the CABBI project.
Duties & Responsibilities
- • Collecting plant, soil, gas, and water samples from field sites, and preparing supplies for these sampling campaigns
- • Processing and analyzing plant, soil, gas, and water samples in the laboratory
- • Assisting with stable isotope tracer experiments and laboratory assays for carbon and nitrogen cycling processes
- • Organizing, compiling, and quality checking datasets, and processing raw data using spreadsheet templates and R scripts
- • Ordering and inventorying materials and supplies for CABBI research activities
- • Supervising undergraduate students assisting with this project, including training, assigning work, and tracking work performance and deliverables
Additional Physical Demands
• Ability to lift up to 20 lbs and work in a hot, humid environment.
Minimum Qualifications
A bachelor’s degree in biology, environmental science, chemistry, soil science, or related field. Alternate degree fields will be considered/accepted depending on depth and breadth of experience and skills as related to this position. Research experience in the laboratory and in the field related to biogeochemistry or related disciplines (e.g., above and belowground plant sampling, trace gas flux measurements, soil sampling, wet chemistry, gas chromatography).
Preferred Qualifications
Experience running analytical instrumentation of any kind, including for soil, water and gas samples (i.e., SmartChem discrete autoanalyzer, gas chromatograph, isotope ratio mass spectrometer). Experience with wet chemistry, such as conducting laboratory assays for soil carbon and nitrogen cycling processes or following protocols in college-level lab courses.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Required: Enthusiasm for learning new skills. Ability to work in a large collaborative team environment. Strong organizational skills. Ability to work long days in the field under hot and humid conditions. Basic computer skills (MS Word, Excel).
- Preferred: Programming in R
Appointment Information
This is a 100% full-time Academic Professional position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after closing date. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. The salary range starts at $40,000.