CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellow - Molecular Biology - Brisbane

CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research

• Work with a problematic pathogen of significant concern to the Atlantic salmon industries in Australia and Europe
• Develop new techniques for the establishment, maintenance, and gene manipulation of the amoebae
• Join CSIRO – Australia’s premiere science research organisation

The Position:       

CSIRO currently require the expertise of a suitably qualified and experienced post doctoral level molecular and cellular biologist to work with a problematic pathogen of significant concern to the Atlantic salmon industries in Australia and Europe. Located in Brisbane, you will work on projects based in multiple states of Australia and with overseas collaborators.

You will play a key role in developing new techniques for the establishment, maintenance, and gene manipulation of the amoebae, Neoparamoeba perurans, using a range of traditional and cutting edge molecular biological techniques such as RNA interference. The role will offer you significant opportunities for professional development including secondment in collaborator laboratories located in Scotland and Norway as well as presentation at scientific meetings and appropriate peer reviewed publications.

Specifically you will:

• Develop novel methods for the establishment and maintenance of in-vitro cultures of pathogenic marine amoebae.
• Develop and utilize appropriate tools to undertake amoebae strain characterisation studies and also to determine environmental and xenobiotic tolerances of amoebae.
• Undertake NextGeneration sequencing and subsequent bioinformatics analysis to investigate transcriptomic differences between amoebae strains.
• Utilise RNAi and appropriate assays (eg qRT-PCR) to perform gene-knockdown and effect on phenotype studies.
• Disseminate results through seminars, conferences, reports and scientific publications.
• Participate in CSIRO’s postdoctoral training program.

To be successful you will have:

• PhD in a related field such as cellular biology and/or molecular biology with no more than 3 years relevant post doctoral experience.
• Ability to develop and maintain cultures of single celled marine organisms.
• Demonstrated ability to undertake RNAi based studies including design, delivery and assay of knockdown effects.
• Ability to undertake qRT-PCR assays including target identification, primer design and assay validation.
• Ability to develop rapid in-vitro and in-vivo assay systems.
• Experience with NextGeneration sequencing and subsequent bioinformatics analysis.

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