Position No 427
Postdoctoral Fellow – Genetic Bioinformaticist
The Australian Institute of Marine Science is the leading national organisation researching tropical marine ecosystems through themes of discovery, process understanding, conservation, and sustainable use of living resources. The Institute has 220 staff operating from bases in Townsville, Perth and Darwin, which provides access to the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Torres Strait, Ningaloo Reef and Kimberley coast, Timor and Arafura Seas. AIMS has world-class laboratory facilities, two modern research vessels and extensive technical support. AIMS is responsible for much of the infrastructure of Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System deployed in the tropics. Facilities at AIMS sites in Darwin and Townsville are being enhanced with $55M of capital funds from the Australian Government. In Townsville, this will include a state-of-the-art experimental Ocean Simulator in an extensive seawater precinct to support innovative research into coral spawning, water quality and climate change. This infrastructure supports five multidisciplinary Research Teams that in 2009 published 145 peer-reviewed outputs covering:
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Biodiversity surveys and ecological/evolutionary processes;
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Long-term monitoring and sustainable resource use;
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Biogeochemical processes and ecosystem health;
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History and impacts of climate change; and
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Molecular and genetic mechanisms of marine symbioses.
An opportunity has been created for an early career microbial genomicist/bioinformaticist to work on a multidisciplinary AIMS funded project entitled "Does Interkingdom Communication Orchestrate the Marine Biosphere?" It is hypothesised that quorum sensing facilitates communication between the different coral holobiont community members – coral, zooxanthellae and bacteria. Contemporary molecular biological, bioinformatic and chemical analyses will be conducted to explore the hypothesis. This position will provide genomic and bioinformatic skills to the project, participate in detailed research planning and assist in the preparation of publications to report on findings.
The successful candidate will possess a PhD in Genomic Bioinformatics or Informatics of Genes/Genomes/Metagenomes and demonstrate a minimum of 1-2 years relevant research experience.
This position is available for a fixed term of 3 years and generous working conditions apply including a commencement salary of $71,567 – $78,729 per annum, up to 15.4% superannuation, 9 day fortnight and commuter vehicle.
Enquiries: Professor Linda Blackall; l.blackall@aims.gov.au