**Job Description**
This Postdoctoral Research Fellow position is an exciting NHMRC Ideas Grant project focused on discovering new antibiotics from microbial isolates sourced from soil and diverse ecosystems. The role involves integrating cutting-edge genomics, metabolomics, and biochemical screening to identify novel compounds targeting bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. The successful candidate will collaborate with experts in natural products chemistry, microbial genomics, and bioinformatics, with responsibilities including isolating and cultivating microbes, extracting and characterizing natural products, and analyzing biosynthetic gene clusters for antibiotic production potential.
**Skills & Abilities**
• Strong expertise in organic chemistry, with a focus on microbial natural products and associated analytical techniques.
• Proven experience in structure elucidation of small molecules using 1D/2D NMR, MS, and other spectroscopic methods, as well as genomics analyses and bioinformatics tools (e.g., antiSMASH, BiG-SCAPE).
• Skilled in microbiological techniques including sterile handling, cultivation of bacteria and fungi, cryo-preservation, and taxonomic analysis.
• Proficient in purification of natural products using semi-preparative and preparative High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
• Experienced in operating and troubleshooting analytical chromatographic (HPLC, LCMS and UPLC-QTOF) and spectroscopic (NMR) instruments.
• Knowledgeable in chemical analysis methods (e.g., Marfey’s, Mosher’s, derivatization, degradation, synthesis) for structure elucidation and structure activity relationship analysis.
• Demonstrated experience in bioassay-guided microbial biodiscovery, GNPS molecular networking, and use of online databases (e.g., SciFinder, Web of Science) for dereplication and prioritization.
• Experience in laboratory best practice OH&S.
• Track record of publishing original research in leading peer-reviewed scientific journals.
**Qualifications**
Required Degree(s) in:
• Natural Products Chemistry (or a relevant field)
**Experience**
Other:
• Right to work in Australia
• Unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment
• Education check
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