Postdoctoral Research Associate-1

About the Opportunity

About the Woolston Lab

The Woolston Lab at Northeastern University conducts research at the intersection of anaerobic microbiology, enzyme biochemistry, and natural products discovery. This position is funded by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant focused on unlocking the biosynthetic potential of Clostridial bacteria, a poorly understood but exceptionally rich source of novel bioactive compounds and unusual biosynthetic enzymes.

The research program pursues two complementary directions. The first involves the biochemical and in vivo characterization of a newly discovered family of cobalamin-dependent radical S-adenosylmethionine (B12-rSAM) enzymes fused to non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) adenylation domains. These enzymes are hypothesized to catalyze a stereoselective carbon backbone methylation reaction with no precedent in NRPS biochemistry. The second direction focuses on the discovery of novel antimicrobials from cellulolytic Clostridia through heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene clusters in a newly developed Clostridial chassis strain and activation of cryptic pathways in native producers via elicitor screening.

Job Summary

The Woolston Lab at Northeastern University seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to lead an exciting research program at the intersection of anaerobic microbiology, enzyme biochemistry, and natural products discovery. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will work closely with Prof. Woolston and a collaborative, interdisciplinary team of graduate students and undergraduate researchers. The Woolston Lab places a strong emphasis on open scientific exchange, mentorship, and a team-oriented culture in which postdoctoral researchers play a central role in shaping both the science and the intellectual environment of the group. The associate will be expected to conduct independent research, contribute to the mentorship of junior lab members, and communicate findings through publications, presentations, and reports to the funding agency.

Minimum Qualifications

Required

• PhD in microbiology, biochemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field.
• Demonstrated publication record of scientific findings in peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience investigating and characterizing natural products biosynthesis or experience purifying and functionally characterizing oxygen-sensitive enzymes (for example, iron-sulfur proteins and radical enzymes). Candidates with demonstrated expertise in both areas are especially competitive.
• Experience with modern bacterial genetics workflows, including cloning, genome editing, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-based tools, and transposon mutagenesis.
• Experience with anaerobic microbiology techniques, including cultivation, handling, and experimental work under strictly anaerobic conditions.
• Bioinformatics skills relevant to genomics-driven natural products discovery, including genome mining, biosynthetic gene cluster analysis, sequence alignment, and annotation.
• Strong quantitative and statistical analysis skills for experimental data interpretation.
• Rigorous scientific documentation practices, including maintenance of detailed laboratory notebooks and research records.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to present research findings clearly to both specialist and general audiences.
• Demonstrated ability or strong potential to mentor undergraduate and graduate researchers.
• Ability to work independently and drive a research project forward while collaborating effectively within a team environment.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Conduct independent research, including developing assays, designing experiments, generating data, and analyzing results. Research plans and experiments should be discussed and developed in consultation with Prof. Woolston; however, the employee must be able to complete research activities independently.
• Communicate research progress in regular meetings with Prof. Woolston.
• Read and review scientific literature relevant to the project scope.
• Communicate results through laboratory group meetings, scientific conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and funding agency reports.
• Prepare presentations, manuscripts, patent applications, and other scholarly or research-related materials.
• Participate in professional development activities, including workshops, seminars, courses, and fellowship applications.
• Engage in career development activities and preparation for future career opportunities, as appropriate.

Required Documents

• Resume

Position Type

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.  

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.  

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type:

Expected Hiring Range:

With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.