Description:
The Environmental Microbial Biotechnology for Resource Recovery (EMBeRR) Lab (https://emberrlab.civil.ubc.ca/) at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC, Canada) is seeking a PhD student to start in September, 2025, focusing on anaerobic biotechnology for resource recovery from wastes. The research project will involve the development of anaerobic microbial bioprocesses, metagenomics, bioinformatics, and process modeling. A primary focus will be on microbiomes involved in carbon dioxide upgrading to value-added commodities. The position will be supported by a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and will provide unique opportunities at the interface of academia, private sector, and water utilities, combining conventional process engineering fundamentals with microbiome science, bioinformatics, and modeling. The PhD student will become a member of a dynamic and collaborative research group, and will coordinate between project team members and communicate results via peer-reviewed journal articles and presentations at national and international conferences.
Qualifications:
- Undergraduate or Masters degree in environmental, chemical, civil engineering, or a related engineering program. Students with a previous focus on microbiology and biotechnology are also encouraged to apply.
- Previous research experience in environmental biotechnology, wastewater treatment, microbiology, and bioinformatics is desired.
- Previous experience in command-line programming (e.g., R, python, bash, MatLab) is desired.
- A high degree of motivation to learn new topics and scientific approaches.
- Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.
To apply, please email a cover letter describing relevant research experience and interests, a curriculum vitae, the names and contact information of three references to Dr. Ryan Ziels (ziels@mail.ubc.ca). Please send applications as a single pdf file. In the subject line of the email, please put ‘EMBERR Lab Prospective Student: [surname]’.