POSITION OVERVIEW

Salary range: The salary range for this position is $74,100-$94,200. “Off-scale salaries”, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

The UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program is hiring an Assistant Project Scientist to lead ongoing and future field, greenhouse, and controlled environment disease breeding and research efforts. The University of California, Davis strawberry breeding program has been breeding public strawberry varieties since the 1930s and includes both research and teaching components. Today, its goals are to investigate key issues in strawberry (e.g. the genetic basis of disease resistance, aroma, yield, etcetera) and leverage these discoveries in developing new varieties of strawberry plants that address the needs of growers in California and around the world. The strawberry breeding program strives to be accessible and transparent regarding the research underway and operates with collaborators from around the world to advance the field of knowledge underlying strawberry breeding. The successful applicant will help to execute research projects, design new experiments and projects, mentor graduate and undergraduate students, lead and participate writing papers, grants, and reports, and present to national and international audiences, as well as be a positive member of the campus community.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
A. Ph.D. in plant Sciences, Horticulture, Plant Genetics, Plant Breeding or related field (must be obtained at the time of appointment)
B. 1-5 years of Postdoctoral research in plant genetics, plant breeding or related fields specifically working with plant pathology, molecular breeding, genotyping tools, and molecular marker design. Experience working with polyploid genomes preferred
C. 5+ experience with the design and execution of large field trials
D. 5+ years with the evaluation of plant disease symptoms in field, greenhouse, glasshouse, and the use lab based and marker assays, production of inoculum for disease assays. Experience working with Strawberry preferred
E. 5+ experience in R or other statistical languages for the analysis of experiments, GWAS, genomic prediction, as well as the tools for creating and editing publication quality figures and display items
Preferred qualifications (other preferred, but not required, qualifications for the position)
F. Experience with the design, validation, and deployments of high throughput genotyping (KASP, HRM, PCR)
G. Ability to travel in CA and domestic US for work
H. Intermediate spoken Spanish

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Document requirements
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Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
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Cover Letter
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Statement of Research
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Authorization to Release Information Form - This form is required for all applicants applying to academic recruitments. Please see the Employment Disclosure Requirements webpage for more information. Download, complete, sign, and upload the form.

REFERENCE REQUIREMENTS

• 2 required (contact information only)
  Apply link:
  Help contact: ykreyes@ucdavis.edu

NATURE AND PURPOSE

The Project Scientist makes significant and creative contributions to a research or creative project in his/her academic discipline. The appointee possesses the subject matter expertise and the creative energy necessary to function at a high level of competence. The appointee will participate in activities to increase, improve, or upgrade competency. Appointees with Project (e.g., Scientist) titles may engage in University and public service. They do not have teaching responsibilities. Although the Project Scientist is expected to work independently under the general guidance of an academic member with an independent research program (i.e., Professor, Professional Researcher, Specialist in Cooperative Extension, etc), he/she is not required to develop an independent research program or reputation. He/she will carry out research or creative programs with supervision by an individual in an academic title that carries with it automatic Principal Investigator status. The Project Scientist does not usually serve as a Principal Investigator but may do so by exception.