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Postdoctoral Fellow - ANRD Plant and Soil Sciences



The Division of Plant and Soil Sciences at the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design in Morgantown, WV is seeking applications for a Post-Doctoral Fellow. This will be a full-time 12-month benefits eligible position. The position will be funded from an extramural grant and the start date of this position is contingent upon the arrival of funds. This position is for a maximum of four years contingent upon progress evaluation and performance of duties, need for position and continued availability of external funds.

This Post-Doctoral Fellow is available to investigate the genetics of glandular trichome development and acylsugar biosynthesis in tomato. The postdoc will be supervised by Prof. Vagner Benedito.

Responsibilities are functional in nature and performed under limited supervision. Specific tasks include but are not limited to:

  • Perform laboratory and field experiment activities, such as crossing tomato cv. Micro-Tom mutants to produce lines bearing leaves with high glandular trichome density and high acylsugar accumulation, GC-MS analysis of leaf metabolites, carry out insect resistance bioassays, tomato genome sequencing and bioinformatics for locus mapping.
  • Attend meetings with project partners, as needed. Attend research conferences and read scientific literature to keep abreast of technological advances and current research findings. Identify and assist with acquisition of funding from public, private, and governmental sources.
  • Assist with development of novel research proposals for sponsor submission.
  • Write proposals, research papers, and abstracts to attract research funds.
  • Conduct independent experimental data analysis and graphing using R and bioinformatic tools.
  • Maintain detailed logs of work-related activities, including accurate laboratory records and data on research methods, procedures, and results.
  • Oversee research facilities and personnel: Assure compliance with research protocols and safety requirements, oversee and direct undergraduate and graduate researchers in the completion of experiments, maintain lab equipment; keep accurate inventory of lab assets; monitor and assure proper use and conditions of lab equipment.
  • Mentor research projects of undergraduate and graduate students.
  • Write and present research reports for review and use of the Principal Investigator.
  • Prepare results of experimental findings for presentation to colleagues and the sponsor; at professional conferences; and/or, for publication in scientific journals, as directed.
  • Occasional travel will be required.


Qualifications :

  • Ph.D. in plant genetics, plant physiology or a related field.
  • Ability with authoring peer-reviewed manuscripts for high-index journals in a timely manner. A track record of scientific publications in the field of plant biology is expected.
  • Knowledge of contemporary plant physiology, genetics, biochemistry, and molecular biology is essential.
  • Experience with advanced molecular biology techniques, tissue culture and transformation, metabolic profiling, insect bioassays, and genomics data analysis is highly desirable.
  • Experience with the R environment and bioinformatics is a plus.
  • This position requires the ability to work as a team member in multicultural environment and strong oral and written communication skills.


Application: West Virginia University encourages applications from and nominations of women, disabled individuals, veterans, and members of minority groups. Applicants may apply for the position at http://careers.wvu.edu. Navigate to the position announcement by searching on the position title or the job number 15892. ABD applicants will be considered, all qualifications must be met by the time of hire.

Upload the following documents for applications to the Post Doc PSS position:

1) A 1-page letter of application that discusses qualifications for the position;

2) An updated CV with contact information for three professional references.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning December 1, 2020 and continue until the position is filled.

West Virginia University is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer, and is the recipient of an NSF ADVANCE award for gender equity. The University values diversity among its faculty, staff, and students, and invites applications from all qualified applicants regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, genetics, disability, or Veteran status.

Meeting the needs of today's professional couples is a critical factor in WVU's success in recruiting and retaining new faculty and senior staff. Our Dual Career Program assists couples in your employment search. WVU belongs to the OH/Western PA/WV Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC). Please visit dualcareer.wvu.edu and ohwpawvherc.org for more information and job postings.

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