Postdoctoral Researcher – Metabolic Engineering & Synthetic Biology Full-time

Postdoctoral Researcher – Metabolic Engineering & Synthetic Biology

Salary range: The posted UC salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. The salary range for this position is $69,073-$82,836.

Application Window

Open date: August 1, 2026

Next review date: Saturday, Aug 15, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Wednesday, Jun 30, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time) Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position Description

The Park lab at UCLA is seeking a highly motivated and creative Postdoctoral Scholar to lead cutting-edge research in metabolic engineering, immunometabolism, and integrative omics. The Park lab focuses on engineering microbial hosts for sustainable biomanufacturing, elucidating metabolic dysregulation in human diseases, and innovating metabolomics and fluxomics technologies. The successful candidate will drive the construction of novel strains/pathways, the elucidation of regulatory mechanisms behind health and disease through hypothesis-driven studies, and the integration of computational and experimental procedures.

Interested candidates should submit the following materials as a single PDF document to parklab@ucla.edu with the subject line “Postdoc Application – [Your Last Name]”

Qualifications

Basic qualifications

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Immunology, or a closely related discipline (completed or near completion at time of application). • Expertise in molecular biology techniques. • Strong background in fermentation, culturing, and physiological characterization. • Hands-on experience with analytical instrumentation (HPLC, LC-MS, GC-MS, or NMR). • A strong track record of scientific productivity. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with Metabolic Flux Analysis (MFA), kinetic modeling, or constraint-based genome-scale modeling (COBRA). • Strong mathematical background in differential equations, linear algebra, and optimization. • Background in thermodynamics and reaction kinetics. • Background in engineering non-conventional host organisms [e.g., Yarrowia lipolytica]. • Experience with bioinformatics, transcriptomics (RNA-seq), or metabolomics data analysis pipelines.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae – Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter (Optional)
• Reference check authorization release form – Complete and upload the reference check authorization release form
• UCLA Mission Statement – As the nation's premier public research university, UC's mission is the creation, dissemination, preservation and application of knowledge for the betterment of our global society. We have a particular responsibility to the people of California which we express in the excellence of the education we provide, the impact of the research we do, the comprehensive, life-saving medical services we provide, and the public service mission we are devoted to. The University of California promotes the social mobility of its students, equips them with the tools and experience that furthers their ambitions, and regards their accomplishments across the life span as evidence of the profoundly positive impact of higher education.

  The UCLA campus has expressed these goals in its strategic plan as follows:

  Deepen our engagement with Los Angeles Expand our reach as a global university Enhance our research and creative activities Elevate how we teach Become a more effective institution

  Prompt for candidates for recruitment:

  Reflecting on your personal and professional experiences, highlight your past contributions and future commitments to advancing UCLA's mission as embodied in the 2023-28 strategic plan. These accomplishments and ambitions may be discussed in the context of describing your teaching, scholarship, and service

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

Contact information for 3 professional references (including your primary Ph.D. advisor).

About UCLA

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM – 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Job Location

Los Angeles, CA