Research Associate
The Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry at the University of Toronto (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) has one opening for a full-time Research Associate starting in January 2012 to develop Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToFSIMS) methods to:
- Screen novel proteins in a high throughput manner to determine enzymatic activity.
- Identify and quantify biotransformation on fibrous (wood) and insoluble substrates.
This role presents a unique opportunity to conduct cutting-edge, basic research for a project that will have a clear and immediate impact on Canada’s green economy.
Project Objective
The objective of BEEM (Bioproducts and Enzymes from Environmental Metagenomes) is to develop microbial cultures and enzymes to biodegrade contaminants and generate value-added products from waste. Our multidisciplinary team, consisting of biologists, engineers, industry leaders, and policy experts, will ensure that the technologies developed in this research will be quickly commercialized for industrial and field applications. For more information on BEEM, please visit www.beem.utoronto.ca.
Essential Responsibilities
Primary Functions
- Develop methods to screen novel proteins to determine enzymatic activity on solid substrates;
- Identify and quantify biotransformation on fibrous (wood) and other insoluble substrates;
- Conduct literature searches and design and conduct laboratory experiments to develop new enzyme screening techniques; and
- Assist collaborating researchers with Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry analyses for their projects, including experimental design, operating the instrument, and data analysis.
Communication
- Mentor graduate students;
- Assist professors with teaching graduate-level courses;
- Write research progress reports and user protocols for the tools and algorithms he/she develops;
- Subject to the review of the PI, write manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications, including compiling information from co-authors, collecting and analyzing data, and summarizing relevant literature;
- Subject to the review of the PI, prepare and present posters and platform presentations at conferences;
- Present seminars on research results, enzyme screens developed, and other related topics to both internal (project team) and external audiences (project sponsors, collaborators, etc.); and
- Train students and researchers on protocols developed.
Primary Supervisor
Professor Emma Master
Education and Experience
Essential Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry;
- Minimum 5 years of experience in Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry, including both instrument operation and multivariate statistical analysis of data;
- Minimum 2 years of experience in Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry on organic substrates; and
- Hands-on experience in complementary techniques: X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR).
Assets
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English;
- University-level teaching experience;
- Strong record of peer-reviewed publications;
- Ability to work independently within a team;
- Collaborative work style;
- Willing to share knowledge and assist colleagues as needed;
- Strong problem-solving skills; and
- Willingness to constantly upgrade knowledge.
How to Apply
Please email a cover letter and 2-page resume to Melanie Duhamel (mel.duhamel@utoronto.ca) by or before 5 p.m. on Friday, November 28. Please state in your cover letter whether you are legally entitled to work in Canada. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those considered for an interview will be contacted.