The Distel Laboratory at Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center (Nahant, Massachusetts, USA) seeks a postdoctoral researcher to study the ecology, evolution, and cell biology of symbioses between wood-eating shipworms (family Teredinidae) and their intracellular bacterial endosymbionts.

Shipworms provide a powerful model for exploring symbiont acquisition and intracellular infection, as both hosts and symbionts can be cultured under controlled laboratory conditions. Their bacterial partners produce diverse carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) that degrade lignocellulose, and encode antimicrobial compounds that may structure and defend the symbiosis. The successful candidate will investigate host–symbiont interactions using microscopy, molecular genetics, and metagenomic approaches.

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in microbiology, molecular biology, marine biology, or related disciplines and demonstrate experience in microbial genomics, microscopy, or symbiosis research.

The position is initially for one year, renewable based on performance and funding, with a start date at or before January 2026.

For more information, or to apply, go to: https://northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/careers/details/Postdoctoral-Research-Associate–Distel-Laboratory_R136498-1