Position Summary

We seek a motivated candidate to join our lab to study the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis as a chassis for biofuel production. This will include studying small molecule transport into and out of cells and mechanisms for Z. mobilis to utilize alternative carbon sources and electron donors.

Job responsibilities will include: 

The candidate will be responsible for:

1. Making gene knockouts and knock downs in Z. mobilis
2. Engineering Z. mobilis to use alternative electron donors and carbon sources
3. Studying small molecule transport in Z. mobilis
4. Presenting research plans and findings and GLBRC internal meetings
5. Presenting research findings in published research articles and at conferences

Review of applications will begin immediately and position will be filled by March 1, 2026, or as soon as possible thereafter.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Doctorate -Biochemistry, Microbiology, or related field.

Minimum Requirements

Minimum qualifications include:

• A terminal degree in area of biochemistry, microbiology, or related field. 
• Strong written and oral communication skills to collaborate and communicate effectively with a team of researchers from diverse scientific backgrounds
• Experience with genetic modification of non-model bacteria
• Experience with HPLC analysis to measure fermentation products

Required Application Materials

Please attached a current CV, cover letter (2 pages maximum), and contact details for three professional references.

Special Instructions

At GLBRC, we strive to provide holistic and well-rounded experience to our postdoctoral researchers, and we recognize the importance of supporting their professional development needs to ensure their successful transition to the career of their choosing. To complement the scientific training received in their lab, postdocs at GLBRC can:

• Attend and present at scientific research symposiums and/or conferences.
• Access cross-discipline research environments and training opportunities within GLBRC and cross-BRCs.
• Benefit from integrated career and professional development support (internal and external).
• Participate in Outreach and Community Engagement opportunities.

Review of Applications Begins On

12/19/2025

Website

HTTPS://WWW.GLBRC.ORG/

Department Statement

The Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC, www.glbrc.org) is a cross-disciplinary and integrated research center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and led by the University of Wisconsin–Madison. With Michigan State University and other collaborators, GLBRC draws on the expertise of over 400 scientists to address today’s greatest challenges to produce transportation fuels and high-value chemicals while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

Within the DOE-funded Bioenergy Research Centers (BRCs) program, GLBRC collaborates with three other BRCs, each led by a DOE National Laboratory or a top university. Interactions between the centers help forge strong partnerships within the bioenergy research community in the U.S. and abroad, as well as with industry and government partners.

We believe that a diverse research community is a prerequisite to conducting the foundational innovation necessary to achieve our mission. We strongly encourage applications from candidates who foster and promote these values.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

Connections working at Michigan State University