Research Assistant (Molecular Plant Pathology)

at  University of Southern Queensland

• Total remuneration range $52,344 pa to $56,691 pa
• Part-time fixed term appointment
• Toowoomba campus
  Are you an experienced Research Assistant with a passion for plant pathology? Do you enjoy working in collaborative environments where your contributions can lead to real-world impact?
  Join our team at UniSQ and work alongside Early Career Researchers through to Senior Researchers on projects relating to cotton pathogen research as part of the newly established Australian Cotton Disease Collaboration (ACDC) Virtual National Centre at UniSQ’s Toowoomba campus.
  In collaboration with the Cotton Research Development Corporation (CRDC) and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), UniSQ has been selected as a lead strategic partner for the ACDC which will see our renowned crop scientists leading research into crop disease, shaping a future where cotton production thrives.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

You will play an important role in our efforts to understand and combat cotton pathogens. You will be involved in various aspects of research and work alongside a team of scientists to initiate and develop effective strategies to establish a cotton pathogen collection. In doing so, you will:

• Develop advanced protocols to undertake the isolation, characterisation, and storage of cotton pathogens.
• Lead individual experiments by planning, organising and conducting glasshouse and field trials to understand host range and fungicide responses.
• Prepare pathogen inoculum, raising and infecting seedlings and monitoring for disease symptoms.
• Collect, collate, and analyse project data whilst maintaining scientific data integrity to record data relating to experiments, field trials and disease scores of infected seedlings in the glasshouse.

IF YOU KNOW THAT THIS ROLE IS RIGHT FOR YOU, PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR CURRENT RESUME TOGETHER WITH A TWO-PAGE (MAXIMUM) STATEMENT, OUTLINING YOUR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE RELATIVE TO ‘WHO WE’RE LOOKING FOR’ IN THE POSITION DESCRIPTION.

For more information on our selection process please refer to your recruitment journey available on our website.

Together with your relevant qualification, your experience and expertise in molecular and plant pathology related research, will be key to your success in this role. You will also have:

• An ability to lead and conduct glasshouse and field experiments relating to establishing a cotton pathogen collection.
• A demonstrated ability to apply high levels of scientific accuracy and integrity in the accumulation of laboratory, glasshouse and field data.
• Specialised technical expertise, knowledge of advanced techniques and procedures and ability to operate fit-for-purpose technology relevant to the work being undertaken.
• An ability to work as part of a team, set appropriate goals and prioritise workload