Important Info
Please apply through this form: https://forms.gle/R1XgdJFVXXxsDRzA8
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Postdoctoral Scholar - NMR Spectroscopy of Complex Biological and Materials Systems
The Cegelski Lab in the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University is recruiting a creative and motivated postdoctoral scholar with expertise in NMR spectroscopy. Experience in solid-state NMR is strongly preferred, although candidates with substantial experience in solution-state NMR spectroscopy who are enthusiastic about expanding into solid-state NMR are also encouraged to apply.
Our laboratory develops and applies NMR methods - particularly solid-state NMR - to reveal molecular composition, structure, interactions, and chemical modifications in complex biological and materials systems that are difficult to study using conventional structural approaches. These systems range from intact bacterial cells, cell walls, biofilm extracellular matrices, and amyloid-polysaccharide assemblies to naturally occurring and engineered polymers and industrially relevant catalytic materials.
The Opportunity
The successful candidate will lead an interdisciplinary research program in which NMR spectroscopy provides molecular- and atomic-level insight into complex biological or materials systems. Depending on the candidate’s expertise and interests, projects may include:
- Solid-state NMR studies of intact bacterial cells, cell walls, and extracellular matrices, as well as industrially relevant polymers and catalysts;
- Structural and compositional analysis of functional amyloids, polysaccharides, and amyloid-polysaccharide assemblies;
- Investigation of phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) cellulose and other polysaccharides;
- Development or adaptation of NMR approaches for heterogeneous, insoluble, and noncrystalline biological and materials systems;
- NMR-based studies of antibacterial agents, their interactions with bacterial cells, and their mechanisms of action; and
- Integration of NMR with complementary methods such as fluorescence and electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, biochemical assays, analytical separations, microbial genetics, and other biophysical and materials-characterization techniques.
A distinctive aspect of our research is the integration of molecular-level NMR measurements with complementary experimental approaches and functional measurements. Candidates with experience across multiple experimental platforms, or a strong interest in acquiring such breadth, will have opportunities to combine NMR spectroscopy with microscopy, mass spectrometry, biochemical tools, and biological or materials-based assays to connect molecular structure and composition with function.
This interdisciplinary framework enables research spanning fundamental chemical discovery, bacterial physiology and biofilms, antibacterial mechanisms, synthetic biology, bioengineering, sustainable biomolecular materials, polymers, and catalysis.
The postdoctoral scholar will have substantial intellectual ownership of their research, including opportunities to develop new scientific directions, design and execute experiments, analyze and interpret data, prepare manuscripts, present research, and contribute to collaborations within the laboratory and across Stanford.
Research Environment
The Cegelski Lab is highly interdisciplinary, with research spanning chemistry, chemical biology, biochemistry, biophysics, microbiology, materials science, and engineering. Group members bring varied experimental and intellectual perspectives, and we value curiosity, creativity, rigorous experimentation, collaboration, and scientific independence.
Prof. Lynette Cegelski is the Monroe E. Spaght Professor of Chemistry and Courtesy Professor of Chemical Engineering at Stanford. She is affiliated with the Stanford Biophysics Program, Sarafan ChEM-H, and the SPARK program. The laboratory has strong collaborations across Stanford and beyond, providing opportunities for postdoctoral scholars to expand their scientific expertise and collaborative networks.
- PhD or equivalent doctoral degree in chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, structural biology, chemical engineering, materials science, or a related field by the start of the appointment;
- Substantial hands-on research experience with NMR spectroscopy;
- Ability to design and troubleshoot experiments and analyze and interpret multidimensional spectroscopic data;
- Interest in applying molecular-level approaches to complex biological or materials systems;
- Ability to communicate scientific results effectively; and
- Enthusiasm for collaborative and interdisciplinary research.
Particularly Relevant Experience:
We especially encourage applications from candidates with experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Magic-angle-spinning solid-state NMR;
- Biomolecular, polymer, materials, or catalyst NMR spectroscopy;
- Multidimensional and multinuclear NMR experiments;
- Dipolar recoupling, distance measurements, or quantitative solid-state NMR;
- Isotopic labeling and preparation of proteins, polysaccharides, membranes, cells, polymers, catalysts, or other complex samples;
- NMR spectral processing, assignment, simulation, or method development;
- Solution-state NMR combined with an interest in learning solid-state NMR;
- Fluorescence or electron microscopy;
- Mass spectrometry or analytical separations;
- Biochemical, microbiological, structural, or materials-characterization methods; or
- Integration of NMR with complementary experimental and computational approaches.
Candidates are not expected to have experience in all these areas. We are particularly interested in outstanding experimental scientists with strong foundations in NMR who are eager to apply their expertise to new questions and expand their capabilities through interdisciplinary research.
Application materials include: (1) Curriculum vitae; (2) a letter of interest describing your research experience, the scientific questions that most interest you, and why you are interested in joining the Cegelski Lab; and (3) names and contact information for two to three references.