Livestock Microbial Ecology Research Specialist; AMAT

Position: Livestock Microbial Ecology Research Specialist (AMAT)
Position

Description:

Do you want to be part of a vibrant, collaborative, and multidisciplinary research program that advances sustainable livestock production while providing outstanding opportunities for professional growth and development? If so, we invite you to join the Livestock Microbiome Research Laboratory in the Department of Animal Sciences at North Dakota State University as a full-time Research Specialist.

The overall goal of our research program is to understand and harness livestock microbiomes to improve animal health, productivity, reproduction, developmental programming, and environmental sustainability. Our research integrates microbiology, animal science, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and systems biology to address major challenges facing modern livestock agriculture.

Current research areas include maternal microbiome-mediated developmental programming, whole-body cattle microbiome ecology, reproductive microbiomes, feed efficiency, methane mitigation, and microbiome-based strategies to improve livestock health and productivity. We are also developing microbiome-based alternatives to antibiotics, including probiotics, synthetic microbial communities, and bacteriophage-based approaches to mitigate infectious diseases in cattle. Our long-term vision is to integrate advanced microbial culturing, next-generation sequencing, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to uncover previously inaccessible microbial ecosystems and develop innovative solutions for sustainable livestock production and One Health.

The successful candidate will conduct a broad range of laboratory, animal, and computational activities in livestock microbiome research. Responsibilities include microbial and host DNA/RNA extraction, conventional PCR, quantitative PCR (qPCR), digital PCR (dPCR), sequencing library preparation, microbiome sequencing and bioinformatics analyses, aerobic and anaerobic microbial culturing, tissue and cell culture, and participation in research trials involving cattle and other livestock species.

This position also includes assisting with experimental logistics, biological sample collection and processing, laboratory management, inventory and record keeping, ordering supplies, data management, and training and assisting undergraduate students, graduate students, visiting scholars, and other laboratory personnel.

Our research program is highly collaborative and interdisciplinary, involving partnerships with scientists across animal science, microbiology, veterinary medicine, bioinformatics, industry, and government agencies. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to and facilitate these collaborative research efforts while helping maintain a productive and inclusive research environment

Work Schedule:

The work schedule is for a full-time position and is expected to work from 8 AM - 5 PM from Monday to Friday. However, daily, and weekly schedules can be flexible depending upon specific laboratory or research projects at the time.

Minimum Qualifications:

* B.S. degree in Microbiological Sciences or Animal Sciences, Biological Sciences, or related field

* Demonstrated experience with microbiology or relevant analytical laboratory techniques

* Experience and/or willingness to work with large animals, such as cattle, sheep, and pigs

* Ability to work effectively as part of a team

* Have good written and oral communication skills

Preferred Qualifications:

* MSc. or Ph.D. degree in the fields of Microbiological Sciences, Animal Sciences, Bioinformatics, Biological Sciences, or a related field.

* Experience conducting animal microbiology, microbiome, microbial ecology, or related biological research.

* Experience with microbiome bioinformatics analyses, including 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, shotgun metagenomic sequencing, or other multi-omics datasets.

* Experience working in a laboratory and the desire and ability to assist with research laboratory management (e.g., ordering supplies, inventory management, and record keeping).

* Experience with research trials involving large animals, collection and processing of biological samples, and in vitro experiments.

* Familiarity with North American livestock production systems, particularly beef cattle production, management practices, and research environments.

* Ability to work effectively and efficiently in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment.

* Desire to learn new laboratory, computational, and analytical techniques; possess a flexible mindset; and contribute to scientific publications and research outputs.

* Desire and ability to work effectively with undergraduate students, graduate students, visiting scholars, and other research personnel.

Applicant Materials

Required:

* Resume

* Cover Letter

* List of 3 references.

Hiring Range:

$45,000-$50,000/depending on experience

Pay is based on several factors, including budget, labor market, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure…