The lab hosted an outreach event - 'Build a new world!' with the Science Museum as part of the Great Exhibition Road Festival in London. James, Sonia, Laura and Anastasia ran an activity with children and their family members introducing how microbes might survive (and even thrive) on a new planet. Members of the public learnt about exoplanets and matched the characteristics of certain exoplanets with extremophiles that might tolerate certain conditions - such as halophiles on Europa, and psychrophiles on Mars. Throughout the day we spoke with hundreds of children and their family members, who left with a miniature model of their 'new world' and enthusiasm about the possibility of extraterrestrial life!

We are seeking a postdoc to investigate seasonal changes to Arctic soil microbial communities, using data already generated from multiple year-round Arctic field campaigns by the ongoing NERC & NSF-funded SUN SPEARS project.
You will:

• Analyze genomic data (amplicon sequencing libraries, metagenomes, and metatranscriptomes) to explore the structure, diversity, function, and activity of Arctic soil microbial communities.
• Integrate the biological findings with soil geochemical and geophysical data.
• Work closely with PI James Bradley (QMUL, UK), Steve Schmidt (CU Boulder, USA) and collaborators to lead the analyses of existing (immediately available) and emerging data from the project.

Location: London, UK
Fixed term: 16 months (extension subject to start date and available funds)
Closing date: 11 July 2023
Contact: Dr James Bradley ([email protected])
Apply: https://www.qmul.ac.uk/jobs/vacancies/items/8542.html