What You Will Do

The Bioscience (B) Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is seeking a motivated and ambitious Postdoctoral Research Associate. Join our team in a brand new, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to developing therapeutics and diagnostics tailored to the needs of our military, and work on matters of national security!

The ideal candidate will have protein engineering experience to select affinity reagents (e.g., antibodies, peptides, etc.) for therapeutic and/or diagnostic applications, and for generating machine learning training sets. In this role, the candidate will design and execute experiments independently; develop new protocols; work collaboratively; keep impeccable records of experimental procedures, data, and results; mentor students and technicians; present and discuss results; write reports; and prepare manuscripts for publication.

You will collaborate closely with motivated individuals from various scientific disciplines across LANL, including students, post-docs, technicians, scientists, and project managers, and work with sponsors ranging from government agencies to international partners. You will have the opportunity to travel for conferences and liaise with stakeholders to drive projects forward. Not only will you have access to cutting-edge instrumentation, but you'll also benefit from fast-track promotion opportunities, with post-docs potentially transitioning to scientists in as little as two years.

What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

• Ph.D. in a relevant STEM field such as Molecular biology, Biology, Bioengineering, etc. within the last 5 years

• Strong background in protein engineering

• Experience with high throughput protein characterization using a variety of methods: Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), flow cytometry, display technology, etc.

• High proficiency in cloning, general molecular biology techniques, and microbiology

• Strong publication record (e.g., 3 to 4 publications from PhD research)

• Excellent communication and writing skills in the English language

• Excellent record keeping and sample cataloging

• Ability and eagerness to work in a collaborative team environment.

Education/Experience : Candidates must have received a Ph.D. within the last five years in a STEM field or will have completed all Ph.D. requirements by commencement of the appointment.

Desired:

• Hands on experience with yeast and/or phage display technologies

• Knowledge of various deep sequencing platforms (e.g. PacBio, Illumina, Nanopore MinION, etc.)

• High throughput SPR (e.g. Carterra LSA)

• Knowledge of the development of machine learning architectures

• Experience with training machine learning algorithms on biological/chemical datasets

Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.

Salary: Competitive salaries are based on the date the PhD degree requirements were completed or the degree was awarded. Starting salary for a new graduate is currently $94,500. For more information go to Postdoc Program website at https://www.lanl.gov/careers/career-options/postdoctoral-research/index.php .

Note to Applicants:

The position is for two years, with a third year possible contingent on excellent performance. The application package consists of a CV and a cover letter. Your cover letter should explicitly address how you meet each of the minimum requirements.

In addition to applying online, applicants may email their CV and cover letter to Mietta Lillo ( alillo@lanl.gov ).

Exceptional candidates may be considered for a Director's Fellowship and outstanding candidates may be considered for the prestigious Dianne Christian Hoffman, Richard P. Feynman, J. Robert Oppenheimer, or Frederick Reines Fellowships.

Where You Will Work

Located in nature-lush northern New Mexico, and in the highly multicultural town of Los Alamos, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. LANL enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.

Our generous benefits package includes:

§ PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network

§ Dental and vision insurance

§ Free basic life and disability insurance

§ Paid childbirth and parental leave

§ Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)

§ Learning opportunities and tuition assistance

§ Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)

§ Onsite gyms and wellness programs

§ Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)

The Bioscience Division (B) at LANL comprises a diverse group of experimentalists and computer scientists who work closely with other interdisciplinary scientists across the Laboratory. Their work serves the Nation by developing science and technology to reduce natural and deliberate threats to human populations, their way of life, and the global environment.

Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2 (https://directives.nnsa.doe.gov/supplemental-directive/sd-0206-0002) . Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

Q Clearance: Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance. and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.

*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 (https://www.directives.doe.gov/directives-documents/400-series/0472.2-BOrder-chg1-pgchg) for additional information.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer and supports a diverse and inclusive workforce. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call 1-505-665-4444 option 1.