Microbiology Postdoc Vacancy at NRC, Canada | Synthetic Microbial Community Engineering

Microbiology Postdoc Vacancy at NRC, Canada | Synthetic Microbial Community Engineering

Can carefully designed microbial communities turn syngas into ethanol more efficiently than individual strains? This Microbiology postdoc vacancy at the National Research Council Canada (NRC) investigates that possibility through microbial engineering and bioreactor experiments. Based in Montréal, the two-year fellowship focuses on developing resilient microbial consortia to support sustainable fuel production and carbon circularity.

• Position: Postdoctoral Fellow – Microbial Community Engineering
• Location: Royalmount, Montréal, Canada
• Organizational Unit: Clean Energy Innovation
• Requisition Number: 26216
• Work Arrangement: Full-time physical presence at the NRC site

About The Organization

The National Research Council Canada is a research and innovation organization supporting scientific advances and technology development. Its Postdoctoral Fellowship program provides access to specialist facilities and multidisciplinary teams, with opportunities for publications, industry interaction, and career development.

Microbiology Postdoc Vacancy Description

The project, “Engineering resilient synthetic microbial consortia for high efficiency ethanol production from syngas,” aims to develop microbial communities with complementary metabolic functions.

The selected researcher will lead the design, construction, and experimental evaluation of these communities. The goal is to achieve more efficient and stable syngas-to-ethanol conversion than conventional monoculture systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Isolate and adapt microbial strains to syngas environments using enrichment and adaptive laboratory evolution.
• Design synthetic microbial consortia with complementary metabolic functions.
• Construct and experimentally evaluate the selected microbial communities.
• Assess consortium performance in laboratory-scale bioreactors.
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team on research supporting scalable, sustainable fuel technologies.

Educational Requirements and Eligibility For Microbiology Postdoc Vacancy

• Qualification: PhD in Microbiology, Bioinformatics, Environmental Biology, or another relevant discipline.
• PhD Timing: The posting specifies a PhD awarded on or after July 1, 2024, or completion expected within six months of appointment.
• Exceptions to the PhD timing requirement may be considered for personal or family-related leave.
• Fellowships are open to nationals of all countries, with preference given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
• Include citizenship information in the application.

Experience and Skills

• Experience in microbiology, molecular biology, or microbial ecology, including the integration of genomic/metagenomic data.
• Ability to lead experimental research within a multidisciplinary team.
• Proficiency in English or French.

Additional Assets: Metabolic modeling, microbiome engineering, bioinformatics, or programming in R or Python.

Salary and Benefits

The annual salary range is CAD 83,985–116,641, with CAD 83,985 identified as the typical starting rate for new PhD graduates. Benefits include a pension plan, health and dental coverage, disability and life insurance, and a research travel fund.

Application Documents

Submit all required documents:

• Resume.
• Statement of interest in the project, maximum one page.
• PhD transcript; an unofficial electronic copy is acceptable.
• Publication list.

Selected applicants will be asked to provide three recommendation letters later in the selection process.

Microbiology Postdoc Vacancy – Application Details

• Listed Closing Date: January 7, 2026, at 23:59 Eastern Time; this date has passed and requires clarification.
• Duration: Two years, contingent on satisfactory progress during the first year.
• Security Requirement: Reliability Status, involving verification of five years of background information.
• Relocation Assistance: Determined according to NRC directives.
• Enquiries: [email protected] | +1 343-990-9603. Quote requisition 26216.

Interested in applying microbial science to low-carbon fuel development? This Microbiology postdoc vacancy at NRC combines microbial community design, genomic insights, and bioreactor testing. If your qualifications match the requirements, contact the hiring team to confirm the deadline and whether applications are still being accepted.

APPLY ONLINE HERE