The MMAR Lab

Marine Microbial Adaptive Responses

Join us!

Open position for a Research Technician

We are recruiting!

  • The MMAR Lab is looking for a motivated and organized individual to join our group as a Research Technician. The position primarily focuses on marine microbial culturing, field sampling, and laboratory management. The MMAR Lab studies how plankton adapt to a changing ocean using both experimental and modeling approaches. We are a newly formed, highly cooperative group that looks for members who are supportive and promote an inclusive professional culture. While the technician will be responsible for the core operational needs of the lab, there is significant room for intellectual growth. We strongly encourage individuals who are excited to eventually lead their own independent research projects once they have become settled in the lab and familiar with our systems. This can be an excellent stepping stone toward graduate studies in the future.
  • Email me at suzana.leles@utexas.edu with your CV and a personal statement sharing who you are, your research interests, and why you would like to join the lab. Please also include 1-2 work references with their contact information.
  • The candidate will have a Bachelor’s in biology, chemistry, marine science, microbiology, or related discipline. They should possess strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks independently. The candidate will have effective communication skills and a collaborative spirit. Experience with aseptic technique, microbial culturing, or field-based water sampling is desirable, but not required. In addition, a background in data analysis or R is a plus, but not required.

Graduate students

We are recruiting!

  • In The MMAR Lab, there will be many opportunities to work developing numerical models, from modeling single cells to plankton food webs, as well as performing empirical work culturing marine microbes in the lab and investigating microbial metabolisms in the field (we are surrounded by water at the Marine Science Institute!).
  • Email me at suzana.leles@utexas.edu with your CV and a personal statement sharing who you are, your research interests, and why you would like to join the lab. Check more about our PhD program at UTMSI here.
  • I am happy to brainstorm research ideas and provide feedback if you would like to apply for a postdoc fellowship. Potential fellowships that I am aware of include NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (US-citizens only) and Simons Graduate Fellowships in Ecology and Evolution (no citizenship requirements).

Postdocs

  • Postdoc positions will be listed here in case I have funding. Otherwise, I am always open to support researchers interested in applying for their own funding.
  • Email me at suzana.leles@utexas.edu with your CV and a personal statement sharing who you are, your research interests, and a potential project you would like to pursue.
  • I am happy to brainstorm research ideas and provide feedback if you would like to apply for your own funding. Potential fellowships that I am aware of include Stengl-Wyer Scholars Program.

Future undergraduate students

The lab also welcomes undergraduate researchers!

  • There are remote opportunities for those interested in computational work and in-person opportunities based at UTMSI for those interested in lab- or field- based approaches.
  • Undergraduate students can also apply through the program Semester by the Sea.