Postdoctoral Research Associate

The Woolston Lab at Northeastern University conducts research at the intersection of anaerobic microbiology, enzyme biochemistry, and natural products discovery. This position is funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant focused on unlocking the biosynthetic potential of Clostridial bacteria, a poorly understood but exceptionally rich source of novel bioactive compounds and unusual biosynthetic enzymes. The research program pursues two complementary directions.

The first involves the biochemical and in vivo characterization of a newly discovered family of cobalamin-dependent radical S-adenosylmethionine (B12-rSAM) enzymes fused to non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) adenylation domains. These enzymes are hypothesized to catalyze a stereo selective carbon backbone methylation reaction with no precedent in NRPS biochemistry. The second direction focuses on the discovery of novel antimicrobials from cellulolytic Clostridia through heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene clusters in a newly developed Clostridial chassis strain and activation of cryptic pathways in native producers via elicitor screening.

The Woolston Lab at Northeastern University seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to lead an exciting research program at the intersection of anaerobic microbiology, enzyme biochemistry, and natural products discovery. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work closely with Prof. Woolston and a collaborative, interdisciplinary team of graduate students and undergraduate researchers. The Woolston Lab places a strong emphasis on open scientific exchange, mentorship, and a team-oriented culture in which postdoctoral researchers play a central role in shaping both the science and the intellectual environment of the group.

The associate will be expected to conduct independent research, contribute to the mentorship of junior lab members, and communicate findings through publications, presentations, and reports to the funding agency.

Required PhD in microbiology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field. Demonstrated publication record of scientific findings in peer-reviewed journals. Experience investigating and characterizing natural products biosynthesis or experience purifying and functionally characterizing oxygen-sensitive enzymes (for example, iron-sulfur proteins and radical enzymes). Candidates with demonstrated expertise in both areas are especially competitive. Experience with modern bacterial genetics workflows, including cloning, genome editing, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-based tools, and transposon mutagenesis.

Experience with anaerobic microbiology techniques, including cultivation, handling, and experimental work under strictly anaerobic conditions. Bioinformatics skills relevant to genomics-driven natural products discovery, including genome mining, biosynthetic gene cluster analysis, sequence alignment, and annotation. Strong quantitative and statistical analysis skills for experimental data interpretation. Rigorous scientific documentation practices, including maintenance of detailed laboratory notebooks and research records. Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to present research findings clearly to both specialist and general audiences.

Demonstrated ability or strong potential to mentor undergraduate and graduate researchers. Ability to work independently and drive a research project forward while collaborating effectively within a team environment.

Conduct independent research, including developing assays, designing experiments, generating data, and analyzing results.…