Title: Postdoctoral Fellow in Genomic Investigations of Medicinal Plants
School: Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Department_Area: Organismic and Evolutionary Biology
Position Description: The Davis Lab of Plant Biodiversity at Harvard University is seeking an exceptional postdoctoral researcher (or research associate) to work with us on the sequencing, identification, and analysis of comparative genomic data from parasitic and medicinal plants.
The Davis Lab of Plant Biodiversity explores questions in plant evolution and ecology using a variety of cutting-edge methods. Current and past research has shed light on the genetic and genomic basis of plant parasitism, illuminated systematic and biogeographic trends in widespread temperate and tropical clades, and characterized plant phenological and community-level changes in the Anthropocene. We actively explore and use natural history collections and herbaria and are constantly seeking to develop new approaches to unlock these data and apply them in novel ways. We believe that diversity, collaboration, and mutual respect are essential to any scientific endeavor.
Job Description
We are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher (or research associate), with expertise in comparative genomics and sequence analysis. We expect the postdoc to be able to work independently and contribute intellectually to broader research themes and directions in the lab. The postdoc (or research associate) will also collaborate with others in the lab who are generating novel data for comparative genomics (whole-genome sequences, RNAseq transcriptome data, Illumina, 454, PacBio), and work to aggregate and extract plant tissue samples to construct high quality genomic DNA for cryogenic preservation, sequencing, and analysis.
Salary is negotiable, with a minimum of $67,600 per year.
Situated in the Harvard University Herbaria ( HUH ), the Davis Lab of Plant Biodiversity actively investigates questions in plant evolution, systematics, ecology, and global change. We are part of Harvard's Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, which is a vibrant community of cross-disciplinary biological scientists at Harvard University.
Basic Qualifications:
A Ph.D. degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or related areas;
Hands-on experience with, or a strong interest in, bioinformatics programming, including Linux, scripting, and R;
Expertise in data mining and cleaning;
Experience with the analysis of next-generation sequence data and whole-genome sequencing and RNA -Seq;
Fluency in English written and oral communication.
Special Instructions: Application review will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Please upload the following materials.
1. Cover letter summarizing your research experience and your interest in the position.
2. Curriculum vitae including full list of publications and awards (if applicable).
3. Up to three representative peer-reviewed publications or pre-prints, ideally including at least one first-authored output.
4. Names and contact information of three references. Please note that references are not required at the time of application; referees will be contacted after an initial screening.
Contact Information: Professor Charles Davis
Contact Email:
cdavis@oeb.harvard.edu
Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.
Minimum Number of References Required: 3
Supplemental Questions: Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
