Southern Methodist University

SMU is a nationally-ranked, private, non-sectarian research institution located in one of the nation’s fastest growing metropolitan areas. Our colleagues are part of an inclusive and intellectually vibrant community of internationally recognized scholars across the humanities, social sciences, mathematical sciences, engineering, and business. SMU offers excellent benefits including full same-sex domestic partner benefits. The City of Dallas is one of the nation’s most cosmopolitan commercial and cultural centers, and the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex is the fourth largest in the US. To learn more about Dedman College and SMU, please visit www.smu.edu/dedman, and www.smu.edu.

Southern Methodist University (SMU) will not discriminate in any program or activity on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression. The Executive Director for Access and Equity/Title IX1 Coordinator is designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and may be reached at the Perkins Administration Building, Room 204, 6425 Boaz Lane, Dallas, TX 75205, 214-768-3601, accessequity@smu.edu.

Homepage: https://www.smu.edu/dedman/academics/departments/earth-sciences

The Department of Earth Sciences in Dedman College at Southern Methodist University invites applications for a full-time postdoctoral fellow to work on the biopharmaceutical potential of marine organisms, focusing on invertebrates (i.e., sponges and corals) and their host-associated microbiome. Specifically, this postdoc will work to establish links between biosynthetic potential of environmental samples to the production of marine natural products through the lens of chemical ecology. Priority will be given to those with experience in heterologous expression of natural product biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and/or organic chemistry with experience in structural elucidation of small molecules from environmental sources. The postdoc fellow will be part of a larger working group funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) focused on understanding the structure, diversity, and community dynamics of marine microbiomes found in the deep-sea, mineral-rich habitats off the coast of Southern California. As such, the postdoc will be encouraged to design projects, integrate and coordinate project deliverables, and propose new research ideas with our collaborators at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.

Minimum Qualifications

• Completed requirements for a Ph.D. in Earth Science, Microbiology, Biochemistry, or related field required by August 1, 2024.
• Experience with organic chemistry, mass spectrometry, and NMR; and/or
• Experience in strain cultivation and genetic manipulations
• Demonstrated ability to communicate science through presentation at national and international meetings and publication in high-tier journals
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion efforts in the lab and the community

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with (meta)genomic data and analyses
• Familiarity with marine natural products

The position comes with a salary of $60,000, health insurance, and conference travel included. Postdoc support is available for at least one year, with the possibility of an extension for a second-year contingent upon continued funding, project needs and deliverables, and satisfactory performance.

Applications must be submitted via Interfolio (http://apply.interfolio.com/146881) with the following documents: (1) a CV, (2) a cover letter describing your background, your motivation for applying to this position, your long-term career goals and any highlights of your CV, (3) a research statement (2-page max) summarizing research interests and expertise, and (4) a list of names and contact information of three professional references.

Review of applications will begin immediately. To ensure full consideration for the position, the application packet must be received by June 15, 2024, but applications will be accepted and considered until the position is filled. The committee will notify applicants of its employment decision after the position is filled. Hiring is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of a background check. Inquiries should be directed to Dr. Alexander B. Chase (abchase@smu.edu).