UDRI's Power & Energy division invites qualified candidates to apply for our Principal Scientist in Computational and Systems Biology opening! UDRI is a national leader in scientific and engineering research, serving government, industry and nonprofit customers. UDRI contributes to the fulfillment of the University’s commitments to education, research and public service through the involvement of students, faculty and external partners. Established as the research arm of the University of Dayton in 1956, UDRI achieved $2.75 billion in cumulative sponsored research in 2020. Sponsored research for 2022 alone exceeded $220 million.

The Principal Scientist in Computational and Systems Biology is expected to conceive, plan, conduct, and oversee pioneering research and exploratory development research projects in the area of materials and energy biotechnology including but not limited to computational biology, microbiology, engineering, recombinant protein, synthetic biology, and molecular/cellular biology. Strong research expertise is required in the areas of bioinformatics, molecular/cellular biology, synthetic biology, and microbiology. This position intersects synthetic chemistry, microbiology, engineering and bioinformatics disciplines, and requires extensive experience in identification of important gene pathways and construction of biosynthetic pathways.

Minimum Qualifications
1. Ph.D. with at least 10 years of experience in computational biology, systems biology, molecular biology, microbiology, or related fields.
2. Experience with bioinformatic tools for data analysis of genomics, transcriptomics and metagenomics.
3. Experience in recombinant DNA techniques, cloning and other synthetic biology strategies.
4. Experience in BLS 2 microbiological techniques, bacterial and fungal cultivation, microscopy, technical writing and presentations.
5. A minimum of 10 years of molecular assay development and related experience.
6. Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
7. High level of motivation, innovation, and capacity to work independently and collaboratively in a high-performance R&D laboratory environment.
8. Experience in writing proposals, obtaining funds, and managing research teams.
9. Effective oral and written communications skills to communicate and deliver highly technical and programmatic information to clients and stakeholders.
10. US Citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

While not everyone may possess all of the preferred qualifications, the ideal candidate will bring many of the following:

1. Demonstrated broad knowledge base to engage with subject matter experts spanning microbiology, bioinformatics, engineering, and synthetic chemistry.
2. Proficiency in genomics/transcriptomics/metagenomics analysis, sequence analysis, and comparative genomics analysis.
3. Proven success working with large-scale data of shotgun metagenomics analysis of microbiome from environmental samples.
4. Demonstrated experience in multidisciplinary research areas, establishing collaborative work, obtaining funds and writing technical repots.
5. Previous experience in leading and working within multifunctional teams, to conceive, execute, and communicate data while providing technical vision across various research efforts.
6. Experience with transformation and cultivation of non-model microorganisms such as yeast, filamentous fungi, and photosynthetic bacteria/algae.
7. A strong record of R&D accomplishments that include peer-reviewed publications in high impact-factor journals, patents, and other technical writings in computational genomics, molecular biology, and microbiology.
8. Demonstrated ability to collaboratively develop and write project technical reports, effectively communicate with stakeholders and clients.
9. Experience working with socially and culturally diverse communities.

Special Instructions to Applicants

To apply please submit a cover letter addressing each minimum qualification and any applicable preferred qualifications that you meet.

A federal court on December 7, 2021, issued a ruling that suspends the COVID-19 vaccine requirement that applies to federal contractors nationwide. With this development, the University will pause any enforcement action against employees who have not complied with the requirement to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 8, 2021 or to have requested an exemption to maintain their employment status.

The University will continue to monitor the state of the pandemic on campus and in the community as well as developments in federal and state requirements, and also will continue to regularly consult with public health officials and our medical panel. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, our protocols and requirements are subject to change depending on conditions on campus or in our community, and government requirements.

 

Informed by its Catholic and Marianist mission, the University is committed to the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Informed by this commitment, we seek to increase diversity, achieve equitable outcomes, and model inclusion across our campus community. As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, we will not discriminate against minorities, women, protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, or on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity.