Research Associate, Research Scientist, Biology

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.

Position Information

Announcement Number

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 26235

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Moura Lab in the Plant Science and Plant Pathology Department, located in Bozeman, MT, is looking for a responsible and enthusiastic Research Associate to join an integrated research program in plant pathogens, population analysis, phenotyping, molecular biology, screening, diagnosis and bioinformatics. The individual will provide leadership and essential support across all aspects of experimentation and will have the opportunity to develop their skills through training, attend scientific meetings, and write grant proposals and manuscripts.

Position Number

Position Number 4C0758

Department

Division

Division College of Agriculture/MAES

Appointment Type

Appointment Type Professional

Contract Term

Contract Term Fiscal Year

Semester

If other, specify From date

If other, specify End date

FLSA

FLSA Exempt

Union Affiliation

FTE

FTE 1.0

Benefits Eligible

Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

Contract Type

Contract Type LOA

If other, please specify

Recruitment Type

Recruitment Type Open

General Statement

Research in the Moura Lab involves pathogen characterization, population analysis, diagnosis, screening, phenotyping and disease resistance interactions. One of the goals is to use biotechnology research to establish a foundation and conduct applied research to support growers’ management decisions. The candidate will collaborate with other faculty and professionals. The research associate is expected to coordinate activities with the Principal Investigator and achieve the program’s objectives with minimal supervision.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Work closely with the PI and provide leadership on topics related to the research program.
• Assist in the design and implementation of field, greenhouse, and laboratory studies focused on plant pathology, molecular biology, microbiology, and bioinformatics.
• Design and carry out experiments exercising discretion and judgement with minimal supervision.
• Analyze and interpret data using your experience and judgment to guide future experiments supporting the goals of the project.
• In-state travel may be required.
• Daily tasks may include, but are not limited to: conducting experiments in the lab, field, and greenhouse, organizing the laboratory/greenhouse and cataloging laboratory equipment, ordering supplies, analyzing data from experiments using various computer programs, and providing support for the preparation of publications and presentations.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Master’s degree in Agronomy/Biology/Genetics/Biotechnology or closely related field or a Bachelor’s degree + 2 years of professional experience.
• Research experience in plant pathology, molecular biology, phenotyping, genetics, bioinformatics, and microbiology.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct field and greenhouse trials.
• Experience with the operation, maintenance, and organization of laboratory equipment and supplies.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office package, R, bioinformatic tools, and other related statistical software packages.
• Experience with data collection and analysis.
• Demonstrated experience supervising graduate, undergraduate students, and temporary workers.
• Experience with manuscript writing and oral communication/presentations.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Ph.D. in closely related areas of the job description.
• Knowledge of the crops and production practices associated with Montana.
• Experience with molecular biology techniques such as DNA / RNA extraction, PCR , qPCR, and sequence analysis (Sanger, Illumina, Long reads technologies).
• Experience with isolation, culture, and phenotyping different plant pathogens, such as fungi.
• Experience with field plot and greenhouse research for disease screening.
• Experience with Bioinformatic analysis, such as Whole-genome Assembly, Phylogenomic, GWAS , SNP Calling, Primer Design, etc.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Work independently and have the…