R&D Associate Staff Member, Biosciences Division

Requisition Id 13261 

 

Overview: 

The Biosciences Division at Oak Ridge National laboratory is seeking a Plant Systems Biologist with a strong background in plant genomics, genetics and bioinformatics to join our multi-disciplinary team of investigators exploring and understanding the network of genes, proteins, metabolites, and environmental signals that lead to improved plant characteristics and performance. The selected candidate will play a critical role in undertaking broad, integrated approaches to enhance fundamental understanding of genetic controls of plant productivity, biomass quality, and sustainability in bioenergy-relevant plants. We are particularly interested in candidates who can contribute research to the areas of genomic prediction, genomic selection and plant systems adaptation and resilience and develop new capabilities towards these targeted areas.

 

Major Duties/Responsibilities: 

• Utilize advanced genomic prediction techniques to estimate the genetic potential of tree population
• Apply genomic selection strategies to identify and prioritize individuals with desirable traits for breeding program
• Perform genotype-by-environment analyses to elucidate the mechanism of plant adaptation and resilience under varying environmental conditions
• Analysis of both short and long-read sequencing data to uncover comprehensive genomic and genetics insights driving trait improvement
• Perform phenotype-to-genotype association studies to link genetic variations with phenotypic traits
• Integrate multi-omics data including transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics to provide a holistic understanding of plant responses to environmental challenges
• Develop scripts, workflows and analytics pipelines using R and/or Python to manage and analyze large datasets
• Utilize high-performance computing clusters for efficient data management and analysis
• Lead and design laboratory, greenhouse, and field-based experiments to investigate fundamental questions in plant biology that are highly relevant to bioenergy and plant-environment interactions
• Lead and contribute to grant proposals and research project planning to secure external funding
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate experimental and computational results to gain a comprehensive understanding of complex biological traits
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at scientific conferences
• Deliver ORNL's mission by aligning behaviors, priorities, and interactions with our core values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service. Promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility by fostering a respectful workplace- in how we treat one another, work together, and measure success.

 

Basic Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Genomics, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Plant Biology or related fields
• Expertise in genomic prediction, genomic selection and association studies
• Proficiency in R and/or Python with demonstrated skills in developing scripts, workflows and analytics pipelines
• Expertise in using high-performance computing clusters to manage and analyze large datasets
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a strong track record of scientific publications.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior postdoctoral research experience working on tree genomics and genetics
• Experience working on genomic prediction, genomic selection and association studies
• Experience developing scripts, workflows and analytics pipelines