Assistant Project Scientist Opportunity in McDonald-Nandi Lab

An Assistant Project Scientist research position is immediately available at the McDonald-Nandi laboratory, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Davis to work on the projects that involve transgenically/transiently producing, quantifying, purifying, and characterizing pharmaceutical proteins in lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana). The successful candidate should have outstanding and appropriate research experience and should provide evidence of effective and innovative research in the areas listed below. The duration of this position is initially for one year and extendable depending on performance and availability of funding.

Apply Now

Specific tasks include but are not limited to:

• Grow (preferably hydroponically) and maintain healthy lettuce and Nicotiana benthamiana plants.
• Perform genetic infiltration and bombardment (and perhaps other methods) of target genes to produce both transgenic plants and for transient expression in plants/leaves. Design of experiments to optimize speed of production, quantitative analyses and quality assessment of recombinant proteins made in plants.
• Grow selected transgenic lettuce lines expressing target proteins both in greenhouse and controlled environmental facilities.
• Draft amendments to the lab Biological Use Authorization as needed.
• Perform appropriate assays (ELISA, Western blots, and activity) to measure specific productivity of target recombinant proteins.
• Generate a sufficient amount of viable seeds and leaves for purification and further characterization of the target recombinant proteins in crude extract or after purification (e.g. SDS-PAGE, Western, ELISA, amino acid sequence, activity assay, CD analysis, etc.).
• Optimization of extraction and purification (>95%) of target molecules using centrifugation, TFF and AKTA systems and standardization of the protocols for scalability.
• Supervise undergraduate and graduate students working on related projects in the laboratory.
• Interface with collaborators within the university and outside of the university to further research objectives.
• Prepare monthly research update presentations, drafts of journal publications, maintain laboratory notebooks and data, identify related research and fellowship funding opportunities, contribute to proposals, present research findings at conferences and internal meetings.

UC Davis recognizes the necessity of supporting faculty with efforts to integrate work, family and other work-life considerations. To recruit and retain the best faculty, the campus sponsors a Work Life Program that provides programs and services that support faculty as they strive to honor their commitments to work, home and community. Please visit: https://hr.ucdavis.edu/departments/worklife-wellness.

Consult http://che.engineering.ucdavis.edu/ or visit https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF03843 for our on-line application procedure and requirements. The position is open until filled; but to assure full consideration, applications should be submitted no later than Tuesday November 10th, 2020, for a start date as soon as possible/situation permits.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis requires all candidates to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If the candidate does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.