POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE, Mechanical Engineering (MechE), to work with Professor Domitilla Del Vecchio on a project studying the robust multiplexing of bacterial sensors for environmental monitoring. The ultimate goal of the project is to engineer bacterial communities that implement multiplexed biosensing, robustly to environmental changes, for deployment in soil or water. Within this goal, it specifically seeks to develop genetic circuit design tools for the accurate operation of multiple biosensors concurrently in the same bacterial cell, and across multiple cell strains, with performance that is robust to changes in the environment, including temperature and other growth conditions. These biosensors will be in the form of synthetic genetic circuits, including appropriate feedback and feedforward control mechanisms for robustness and accuracy. Genetic circuit architectures that control growth rate will also be required.

REQUIRED: Ph.D. in bioengineering, biomedical engineering, molecular biology, microbiology, or closely related field; experience with synthetic biology and genetic circuit design, fabrication, debugging, and testing; self-motivation; and the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with students with a predominantly modeling background for effective model-based design of genetic circuits. PREFERRED: Some expertise in physics-based mathematical modeling of genetic circuits. Job #23361

Inquiries about the position may be directed to Domitilla Del Vecchio at ddv@mit.edu.

This is a one-year position with the possibility of extension to a second year provided funds are available and satisfactory progress is made.

The start date is expected to be in the winter of 2023.

10/25/23