Arc Postdoctoral Research Fellow

**Level A ($75,888 to $106,040) per annum plus an employer contribution of up to 17% superannuation applies.**

**Fixed-term position available for 36 months.**

**Be part of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space (P4S) and contribute to world-leading research projects.**

This role will develop tools and technologies needed to advance _Wolffia _as a synthetic biology chassis. These tools will be used to explore cell wall biosynthesis and structure and deliver cell walls optimised for growth and consumption.

The tasks of the Postdoctoral Researcher will include:

- Developing new methods for transient and stable transformation (including DNA free, such as virus-mediated and/or nanoparticles)

Outputs will include:

- Validated methods for transient and stable transformation of Wolffia
- A testable model describing cell wall structure and composition during vegetative growth in Wolffia (or closely related aquatic species)
- Aquatic plants with altered cell wall composition that can be used for testing in synthetic gut assays with P4S collaborators.

**This exciting role will contribute to ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space’s goal to re-imagine plant design and bio-resource production to support long-term habitation in Space and solve sustainability challenges on Earth.**

**To be successful you will need**:

- Demonstrated skills in plant molecular biology, synthetic biology and bioinformatics.
- Demonstrated skills in tissue culture and developing plant transformation methods, including CRISPR-based gene editing.
- Fluency in written and spoken English, with an ability to communicate scientific ideas to an expert audience.
- A strong work ethic, and the ability to work well independently, and as a member of a broader team, including with industrial partners.
- Commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion.

**Desirable characteristics**:

- Demonstrated understanding of plant cell walls or glycobiology.
- Demonstrated skills in microscopy.

**Enjoy an outstanding career environment**

The University of Adelaide is a uniquely rewarding workplace. The size, breadth and quality of our education and research programs - including significant industry, government and community collaborations - offers you vast scope and opportunity for a long, fulfilling career.

It also enables us to attract high-calibre people in all facets of our operations, ensuring you will be surrounded by talented colleagues, many world-leading. Our work's cutting-edge nature - not just in your own area, but across virtually the full spectrum of human endeavour - provides a constant source of inspiration.

Our culture is one that welcomes all and embraces diversity consistent with our Staff Values and Behaviour Framework and our Values of integrity, respect, collegiality, excellence and discovery. We firmly believe that our people are our most valuable asset, so we work to grow and diversify the skills, knowledge and capability of all our staff.

We embrace flexibility as a key principle to allow our people to manage the changing demands of work, personal and family life. Flexible working arrangements are on offer for all roles at the University.

In addition, we offer a wide range of attractive staff benefits. These include: salary packaging; flexible work arrangements; high-quality professional development programs and activities; and an on-campus health clinic, gym and other fitness facilities.

Learn more at: adelaide.edu.au/jobs

**Your faculty’s broader role**

The Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology is a multidisciplinary hub of cutting-edge teaching and research. Many of its academic staff are world leaders in their fields and graduates are highly regarded by employers. The Faculty actively partners with innovative industries to solve problems of global significance.

As a member of Australia’s G08, the University of Adelaide is recognised as one of the nation’s most respected research-intensive universities, challenging and inspiring graduates to make a real difference. The Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) holds an outstanding reputation for teaching, research, and quality graduates. Comprised of eight schools, 21 centres and five institutes, the Faculty of SET is responsible for teaching over 8,500 students across our three campuses, North Terrace, Waite and Roseworthy, and has an annual budget of $300 million. The faculty is a significant contributor to the University’s research reputation, earning annual research revenue above $120 million. Many of our research areas have achieved a world-class research rating of 5 in the 2018 ERA rankings. The faculty is responsible for teaching and research across wide range of disciplines including Engineering, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, Architecture, Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Agriculture, Food and Wine and Animal and Veterinary Science. The Faculty of SET is an innovative and agile