Post Doc Res Assoc - Plant Physiology and Phenotyping - Science Institute

University of Wyoming • Laramie, WY

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The University of Wyoming Science Institute
(https://www.uwyo.edu/research/si/index.html
[https://www.uwyo.edu/research/si/index.html])  is seeking to fill one
postdoctoral research science position in plant physiology and phenotyping with
applications to plant-microbial interactions. The hired candidate will lead the
research effort for the Collaborative Research: RII FEC grant to the University
of Wyoming “Harnessing Controlled Environment Agriculture to Secure
Sustainability and Economic Growth” (https://tricea.unm.edu
[https://tricea.unm.edu] ). The RII FEC program is an EPSCoR Research
Infrastructure Improvement-Focused EPSCoR Collaboration building
inter-jurisdictional collaborative teams of EPSCoR investigators in focus areas
consistent with the NSF Strategic Plan. 

Our collaboration, called TRI-CEA, includes the state of Wyoming, New Mexico and
South Dakota and involves the participation of different institutions and
communities across these states. The project proposes to take a convergence
science approach to tackling food security, drawing upon diverse expertise with
researchers ranging from basic (plant physiology and plant-microbe interactions)
and applied biology (Controlled Environment Agriculture – CEA – and
horticulture), environmental and natural resource economics, sustainability
science, and applied knowledge of tribal community members. 

The Postdoctoral Research Associate will mainly focus on characterizing how the
environment, plants, and microbes interact in hydroponic systems to affect crop
yield and nutritional quality and how these drivers impact communities to
ultimately enhance climate resilience strategies via CEA.

Candidates should have a doctoral degree in plant science, plant physiology,
plant phenomics, or a closely related field. Researchers will be expected to
lead research projects and contribute significantly to the development of our
interjurisdictional project. TRI-CEA focuses on research in the following areas,
with successful candidate having experience and publications relevant to one or
more of the areas:

Plant Physiology
Controlled Environment Agriculture
Plant Phenotyping
Plant-microbial interactions

Successful candidates should have some experience with physiological and image
datasets, analysis of large datasets, and characterization of plant-microbial
interactions. Core components of duties for this position are conducting
experimental work, leading (writing) scientific peer-reviewed publications,
creating data sets for community use while coordinating with university
collaborators, and mentoring/training graduate and undergraduate students in the
group. This position will be part of the first of two 2-year renewals of
TRI-CEA.

Requirements

• A Doctoral Degree in Plant Biology, Plant Science, Plant Physiology, or a related field is required for this position, however, consideration will be given to applicants that are currently pursuing their Doctoral Degree and will complete the degree prior to starting work
• Publication record in the field
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and contribute to team goals
• Proven experience in data analysis, statistical modeling, and handling large biological datasets
• Hands-on experience with advanced imaging techniques, such as high-throughput phenotyping, or other plant imaging technologies
• Proficiency in programming languages (e.g., R, Python) for data analysis and visualization

Nice To Haves

• Strong expertise in plant physiology and plant-microbial interactions
• Experience with microbial cultivation and genomic analysis
• Familiarity with bioinformatics tools for analyzing omics data (e.g., transcriptomics, metagenomics)
• Knowledge of hydroponic system set up and maintenance
• Familiarity with using imaging platforms such as LED-based phenotyping systems or phenomics platforms for large-scale plant screening
• Familiarity with cloud computing and big data infrastructure
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with the ability to collaborate effectively in an interdisciplinary environment

Responsibilities

• Design and perform experiments to plant growth under changing environmental conditions or in different media
• Apply advanced phenotyping technologies (e.g., image phenotyping and high-throughput handheld instrumentation) to analyze plant-microbial interactions
• Create, share, and archive reproducible and robust code and datasets
• Present results at nationally/internationally recognized conferences
• Share research findings with community members
• Publish in high-impact peer-reviewed journals
• Participate in group activities and lead experimental cross-institutional campaigns
• Mentor graduate and undergraduate students
• Collaborate with internal and external researchers and contribute to an efficient research environment
• Contribute to writing proposals

Benefits

• Generous Retirement Contributions: The State contributes 14.94% of your gross salary, and you contribute 3.68%, totaling 18.62% toward your retirement plan.
• Exceptional Health & Prescription Coverage: Enjoy access to medical, dental, and vision insurance with competitive employer contributions, that include 4 deductible options to suit your needs
• Paid Time Off: Benefit from ample sick leave, paid holidays, and paid winter closure.
• Tuition Waiver: Employees and eligible dependents can take advantage of tuition waivers, supporting continuous education and professional growth.
• Wellness and Employee Assistance Programs: Stay healthy with wellness initiatives, counseling services, and mental health resources.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees