Postdoctoral Associate Position: Functional Genomics and Metabolic Engineering of Volatile Natural Products

The Tholl lab at the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech is recruiting a Postdoctoral Associate in Biochemistry and Metabolic Engineering of Volatile Natural Products. The Tholl lab integrates biochemical, molecular, and genomic tools to investigate the metabolism of volatile compounds in plants and insects. The lab applies this knowledge to improve crop resilience and pest management and improve the production of aroma compounds, pharmaceuticals, and industrial products.

The candidate will have the opportunity to work on a project with focus on gene discovery and biosynthesis of plant volatile compounds with multiple values as natural defenses, flavors, and industrial value products in food crops. Additional projects in crop trait improvement offer the opportunity of engineering insect volatile pheromones in plants for the development of enhanced trap crops.

We are looking for a talented scientist with strong motivation and interest in natural product functional genomics and metabolic engineering. The candidate will join an excellent and supportive scientific community in the Biological Sciences Department and across departments in the Virginia Tech Translational Plant Sciences Center. Moreover, the applicant will experience a vibrant university environment in the heart of the Appalachian Blue Ridge Mountains. The Tholl lab welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds.