Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Laboratory of Dr. Paul E. O’Maille at the John Innes Centre in the area of terpene biosynthesis. The overall aim of the project is to harness plant specialized metabolism using synthetic biology approaches to produce high-value chemicals in plants. The Postdoctoral Researcher will establish the viability of newly sourced terpene biosynthetic genes (cytochrome p450s) from deep sequencing efforts and use structure-based combinatorial protein engineering (SCOPE) to generate improved/diversified variants of enzyme parts for integration into metabolic engineering. The post holder will synthesize and characterize enzyme libraries, apply computational tools to analyse and interpret complex data sets, and test new enzymes and pathways in yeast and plant systems.
The ideal candidate will have a PhD in the area of biochemistry with a focus on terpene biosynthesis, working knowledge of structural and computational biology, and a proven record of scientific productivity. Good communication skills are essential. Expertise in protein purification, assay development, and enzyme kinetics are necessary, as is the ability to carry out innovative research with important, publishable outcomes. Also, the post holder must be able to use data-management tools, organize and analyse complex data sets and have fluency in bioinformatics applications. Knowledge of plant secondary metabolism is desirable.
Salary on appointment will be within the range £29,500 to £36,060 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This post is for a contract of 11 months in the first instance.
For further information and details of how to apply, please visit our web site http://jobs.jic.ac.uk or contact Human Resources, Norwich BioScience Institutes Partnership, Norwich Bioscience Institutes, Norwich, NR4 7UH, UK, 01603 450149 quoting reference 1002649. As a user of the of the disability symbol, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for this vacancy.
The closing date for applications will be 28th December 2014….