Consultant - Soil Microbiology for Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Aquaculture

Job Details

Main Purpose

This consultancy at the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Laboratory aims to develop a preliminary

protocol for studying the behaviour of antimicrobials in aquaculture pond sediments and assessing their safe use in

agriculture. It supports PUI project 'Integrated Strategies for Managing Antimicrobial Resistance in Western and Central

African Aquaculture'. The project addresses key challenges such as antimicrobial persistence in sediments, their

environmental risks, and implications for food safety when reused as fertilizers. It also examines microbial dynamics

and the effects of transitioning from anaerobic to aerobic conditions.

The consultancy integrates isotopic tracing (e.g. Cavity Ring Down Spectrscopy analysis) with microbiological and

molecular methods (16S rRNA and PLFA) to study antibiotic degradation and microbial changes under controlled

conditions. Outcomes include an experimental framework and evidence-based guidelines for the safe agricultural reuse

of aquaculture sediments. These results will inform Member States on sustainable practices and contribute to the IAEA

project Assessment of Soil Contaminants in Agricultural Lands.

Functions / Key Results Expected
 

• Carry out three microcosm experiments with sediments incubated with sulfonamides (including fully carbon- 13 labelled sulfamethoxazole, SMX) using Laser Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS)and SMX extraction to evaluate the rate of SMX degradation.
• Incubate sediment microbial communities under controlled environmental conditions (pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen) to monitor microbial growth during the transition from anaerobic to aerobic conditions.
• Perform 16S rRNA next generation sequencing and SIP-PLFA analyses to compare the dominant species in aerobic versus anaerobic environments.

Requirements

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities
 

• Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition
   

Qualifications And Experience
 

• University degree (bachelor) in Soil Science or related field.
• Minimum two years' experience in soil microbiological techniques and analysis.
• Experience in soil microbiological techniques and analysis, including microbial inoculation and culture methods, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) testing, DNA isolation, next-generation sequencing, and taxonomic profiling.
• Experience in the use of stable carbon isotope techniques to assess the fate of AMR in agricultural soils, including incubation experiments using Laser Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS)analysis.
• Good knowledge of oral and written command of English. Knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) an asset.

Contact Information