Biosciences Division Senior R&D Staff Member

Requisition Id 13698 

 

Overview: 

The Biosciences Division (BSD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a mid-career or senior level Geneticist with a strong background in plant genomics, genetics, and bioinformatics to join our multi-disciplinary team of investigators exploring and understanding the network of genes, proteins, metabolites, and environmental signals that lead to improved plant characteristics and performance. The selected candidate will play a critical role in leading a broad, integrated approach to enhance fundamental understanding of genetic controls of plant productivity, biomass quality, and sustainability in bioenergy-relevant plants. We are particularly interested in candidates who can contribute research to the areas of genomic prediction, genomic selection, plant systems adaptation and resilience, and develop new capabilities towards these targeted areas. This candidate will have direct access to world-class facilities in high-speed computing (i.e., Frontier -- https://www.olcf.ornl.gov/frontier/), neutron characterization of soft tissues (i.e., SNS -- https://neutrons.ornl.gov/sns), and multi-modality imaging (i.e., the Advanced Plant Phenotyping Laboratory -- https://www.ornl.gov/appl).

 

The successful candidate will have an opportunity to be assigned the Poplar Team lead role within the Center for Bioenergy Innovation (CBI -- https://cbi.ornl.gov/). CBI, an integrated, multidisciplinary enterprise, is one of four DOE BER Bioenergy Research Centers and is comprised of 17 partner institutions and approximately 260 scientist, technicians, post docs, and graduate students. CBI has a mission to deliver high-impact scientific and technological innovations through the development of process-advantaged feedstocks and consolidated conversion strategies at the forefront of the emerging bioeconomy. Conceived to foster a legacy of fundamental scientific understanding, enabling capabilities and transformative innovations, CBI has identified four innovation targets that will enable the future bioeconomy: 1) development of high-yielding, process-advantaged, sustainable plant feedstocks, 2) creation of lower cost consolidated bioprocessing to produce fermentation intermediates, 3) valorization of lignin to biofuels and bioproducts, and 4) development of chemocatalytic conversion processes to produce a complete biomass-based sustainable aviation fuel.

 

At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, we believe that the most significant scientific advancements arise from collaborative efforts that transcend traditional disciplinary and group boundaries. As a Senior R&D Staff Member in the Biosciences Division, you will have the unique opportunity to work alongside experts from diverse fields, including multi-omics, computational systems biology, synthetic biology, microbiology, and environmental science. We foster a culture of interdisciplinary innovation, where your contributions will be integral to groundbreaking research initiatives aimed at addressing complex biological challenges. Join us in leveraging the power of collaborative science to push the frontiers of plant systems biology and make a lasting impact on bioenergy and sustainability.

 

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Coordinate and apply cutting edge GWAS and genomic selection approaches in Populus leveraging our worldclass genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic resources.
• Provide leadership that focuses and integrates broad plant biology resources within BSD and direct efforts to meet CBI S&T goals.
• Develop and implement a vision for emerging perspectives in genetics and plant improvement.
• Investigate mechanisms of heterosis at the genomic scale.
• Leverage ORNL’s Advanced Plant Phenotyping Laboratory (APPL) to characterize latent plant phenotypes related to drought tolerance, nutrient-use efficiency, and plant microbe interactions.
• Provide candidate genes lists for relevant phenotypes to the validation team.
• Lead and contribute to the preparation of scientific publications and presentations.
• Develop significant new research proposals and develop new client relationships.
• Deliver direct point-of-contact program management interface to sponsoring organizations.