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Postdoctoral Scholar – Cereal Crop Transformation & Gene Function - Department of Plant & Microbial Biology

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Position description

There is an opening for a postdoctoral scholar position in the laboratory of Dr. Peggy G. Lemaux at UC Berkeley. This individual will participate in the DOE-funded EPICON project, aimed at identifying transcriptomic and epigenetic mechanisms involved in drought tolerance in field-grown Sorghum bicolor. To date, we have identified a number of critical pathways, some of which appear to be involved in drought tolerance.

Duties
• Utilize the WUS-BBM transformation protocol from Pioneer Hi-Bred for Sorghum bicolor, and possibly Setaria viridis, using two target tissues for introduction of engineering and editing constructs.

• Transformation will be used to introduce into sorghum, and possibly Setaria, candidate genes from EPICON efforts - a number of which appear to be important to mechanisms of drought tolerance.
• The position will involve creation of vectors, introduction into Agrobacterium tumefaciens, and subsequent transformation into sorghum, and possibly Setaria viridis.
• Integration and expression of genes of interest will be confirmed in transgenic plants
• Further characterization of transgenic plants will be performed using molecular, biochemical, physiological and transcriptomic means to determine gene function.
• If possible, growth of modified plants will be characterized under abiotic stress situations in the greenhouse and, if possible, in the field.

Basic Qualifications:
PhD or enrolled in a PhD degree program (or equivalent international degree) at the time of application.

Additional Qualifications:
PhD (or equivalent international degree) required by the appointment start date. The candidate may have no more than four years of post-degree research experience by start date.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Degree in plant biology, biotechnology, genetics, genomics, biochemistry, bioinformatics or molecular biology fields
• Demonstrated experience with in vitro tissue culture and transformation of C4 cereal crops and grasses
• Demonstrated expertise in making DNA constructs, specifically CRISPR-Cas9 based
• Advanced abilities in performing genome analysis and bioinformatic skills
• Experience with RNA-seq and bisulfite-seq analysis
• Demonstrated evidence conducting experiments independently, maintaining detailed records and managing data
• Demonstrated collaborative skills and ability to work in a team environment
• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills showing ability to think critically and innovatively
• Demonstrated experience with plant tissue culture, construction of overexpression and knock-out vectors, and general molecular biology techniques.

Appointment
This position reports to Dr. Peggy G. Lemaux. The initial appointment is 100% for one (1) year with the possibility of an extension, based on satisfactory performance and availability of funding. Anticipated start date for this position early Spring 2019.

Salary and Benefits
The annual salary range for this position is $50,760 to $59,100. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Generous benefits are included (http://vspa.berkeley.edu/postdocs)

How to apply:
To apply, please go to the following link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/apply/JPF02131

Letters of reference are not required at this time. We will seek candidate permission before contacting references. All letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality: http://apo.berkeley.edu/evalltr.html.

The recruitment will remain open until filled.

Please direct questions to balonso@berkeley.edu

Berkeley seeks to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct.

The department is interested in candidates who will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity in higher education through their work.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae

  • Cover Letter

Reference requirements
  • 3 required (contact information only)

Job location

Berkeley, California