Join the Carini Lab to help us understand the microbial majority!
Last updated: March 18, 2025
We welcome curious minds at all career stages to join our team investigating microbial communities. Our lab embraces individuals from diverse backgrounds along with their experiences and ideas. Read our current lab expectations to learn more about our lab culture and values.
Current Opportunities
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How to Join Us
Undergraduate Students
Application Process: We hire undergraduates for paid positions or course credit and do not accept volunteers. We announce all open positions on our UnCultured blog and share these opportunities with academic advisors across biological science programs at the university. When applying, you'll typically need to submit your resume and a brief statement describing your research interests and why you'd like to join our lab.
What You'll Gain: Undergraduate researchers in our lab gain hands-on experience with modern microbiology techniques while receiving mentorship from graduate students, staff, and faculty. You'll develop laboratory skills, learn to analyze scientific data, and understand how to approach research questions methodically. Students who make significant contributions to projects often earn authorship on scientific publications, providing a valuable credential for future academic and career pursuits.
Graduate Students
Selecting Your Graduate Program: Match Your Research Interests to Our Affiliated Departments
| Program | Your Interests | Application Process |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry and Molecular and Cellular Biology | Cell biology, RNA or protein biology, molecular biology, microbial growth and physiology, microscopy. | Apply through Arizona Biological and Biomedical Science (ABBS) |
| Genetics (Graduate Interdisciplinary Program) | Microbial evolution and genetics, genetic applications, gene function, systems biology, mechanistic biochemistry | Apply through Arizona Biological and Biomedical Science (ABBS) |
| Environmental Science | Microbial ecology in the context of arid environments, pollution dynamics, or agricultural or soil sciences. Applicants should have strong biology background already (BS in biology). | Apply to Environmental Science |
| Ecosystem Genomics (Graduate Interdisciplinary Program) | Microbiome dynamics in ecosystems, environmental metagenomics, microbial adaptation to changing environments, soil & water microbial ecology. | Apply to EG GIDP |
| Animal and Comparative Biomedical Science (home of Microbiology) | Agricultural microbiomes, food system sustainability, comparative genomics, translational research. | Apply through Arizona Biological and Biomedical Science (ABBS) |
| Plant Science | plant-microbe interactions and relationship to changing environments, root microbiomes, microbial ecology in plant systems. | Apply through Arizona Biological and Biomedical Science (ABBS) |
Funding: Admission to our lab primarily depends on available funding. While we occasionally have grant funding for new students, positions are limited and competitive. Strong applicants often enhance their chances by securing independent fellowships or other external funding sources. Once you join our lab, we'll actively help you develop grant-writing skills and encourage you to apply for external funding opportunities, which both supports the lab and builds your professional development.
Successful Applicants: Students who thrive in our lab typically demonstrate a combination of strong research experience, genuine scientific curiosity, and clear motivation. We look for individuals whose research interests align well with our lab's focus areas, as this creates natural opportunities for productive collaboration. Effective communication skills and the ability to work well in a team environment are also essential, as our research often involves complex projects requiring coordinated efforts across multiple team members.
Postdoctoral Researchers
Joining Options: Postdoctoral researchers can join our lab through two main pathways. The first is to apply to specific positions that we post on our UnCultured blog when grant funding becomes available. The second option is to propose independent research aligned with our lab's interests, bringing your own funding through fellowships or other sources. If pursuing the latter approach, please contact us with a concise research summary, information about potential funding sources, and any relevant application deadlines we should be aware of.
Development Opportunities: During your time as a postdoc in our lab, you'll have the chance to lead innovative research projects that advance both the field and your career. You'll gain valuable experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, enhancing your teaching and leadership abilities. We place strong emphasis on professional development, including grant-writing, manuscript preparation, and lab management skills—all crucial elements for those preparing for independent research careers. Our goal is to provide the support, resources, and guidance that help you transition successfully to your next career stage.
Lab Culture
Our lab values collaboration, scientific rigor, and work-life balance. Team members enjoy weekly lab meetings, journal clubs, and occasional social events. We believe in transparent communication and constructive feedback.
FAQ
Q: What if there are no current openings?
A: Subscribe to our free blog for notifications about new positions. For graduate students, funding availability changes regularly, so we encourage reaching out even when no positions are advertised.
Q: How competitive is joining the lab?
A: We typically receive many applications for each position. Strong candidates demonstrate research experience (unless we state that no experience is necessary in the job ad), enthusiasm for microbiology, and clear alignment with our research themes.
Q: What backgrounds are you looking for?
A: We value diverse academic backgrounds including microbiology, biochemistry, computational biology, ecology, and related fields. Technical skills in microbiology, genomics, or data analysis are beneficial.
Contact Us
For specific questions about joining our lab, see our main Contact page.