We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta.
The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Districts 5 and 6.

Description

Area : Interdisciplinary Research in Bacteriophage Biology

Duration : One Year (with the potential for extension based on a performance review after the first year)

Start Date : November 01, 2025

Salary : $50,000 plus benefit

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Calgary is accepting applications for a Postdoctoral Scholar in Interdisciplinary Research in Bacteriophage Biology.

Job Description:

We invite applications from highly self-driven, creative, and passionate postdoctoral scholars to join our dynamic and collaborative research team. We welcome individuals from all walks of life, including those from diverse cultural, academic, and professional backgrounds, and are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable research environment.

This position offers an exciting opportunity to lead interdisciplinary research and grow as a scientific leader in one of the following areas:

• Bacteriophage-host interactions
  • Apply omics approaches (e.g., RNA-seq, Tn-Seq, proteomics) to investigate specialized infection strategies used by bacteriophages to infect pathogenic E. coli
  • Characterize host receptors using site-specific mutagenesis and gene knockout techniques
  • Engineer bacteriophages using CRISPR/Cas systems
• Bacteriophage functional genomics
  • Characterize unique phage genes involved in host infectivity

What We Offer

• A supportive and inclusive research environment that values diverse perspectives
• Opportunities for professional development, including grant writing, mentoring, and collaboration across disciplines
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities and resources
• Assistance with relocation and integration for international scholars (where applicable)

Responsibilities

• Conduct research activities as outlined by the Principal Investigator
• Contribute to project management and development
• Design and optimize experimental protocols, methods, and techniques
• Initiate and support the execution of specific research projects, including grant writing, reporting and collaborative efforts
• Collect and analyze data using computational and modeling techniques for publication
• Disseminate research findings through peer-reviewed publications, project reports, and conference presentations
• Supervise and mentor laboratory technicians, high school, undergraduate, and graduate students

Qualifications:

• Applicants must possess a PhD degree or equivalent degree in a relevant subject (e.g., microbiology, molecular biology, structural biology, biochemistry and biomedical engineering, bioinformatics)
• Strong background in molecular biology, with emphasis on gene cloning, expression, knockout, site-directed mutagenesis and CRISPR/Cas genome editing
• Additional experience in functional genomics, microbiology, tissue culture, cell biology, or animal models is highly desirable
• A good track record of high-quality publications is required
• A candidate with excellent track record and self-motivation to identify and solve scientific problems with creative approaches will be preferred
• The successful candidate will be required to work within a team environment, so excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a diverse group of interdisciplinary researchers is a must
• Ability to initiate and develop original scientific research projects
• Strong written skills are desired
• The ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks efficiently are required

Application Details:

Interested candidates should send

• Single-page cover letter
• Curriculum vitae
• Academic transcripts
• 2-page statement of research interest and career goal
• 3 peer-review publication example as well as
• a list of three references contacts

To dongyan.niu@ucalgary.ca.

Review of applications will begin immediately. We thank all applicants¿ interests, but only short-listed candidates will be contacted for more information and invited to interview. Review of applications will continue until the position is filled.

The terms and conditions of employment are covered under the UCalgary and PDAC Collective Agreement. To find out more about postdoctoral scholar program at the University of Calgary visit our Postdocs website.
To learn more about postdoctoral scholar opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Postdoc Careers website.