Postdoctoral Fellow

Overview

We are seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow to join our multidisciplinary research team to leverage bioactive excipients and targeted delivery to improve crop performance under abiotic stress. As a team member you will be involved in designing and conducting research, analyzing data, technical communication to share your research at conferences and in scholarly manuscripts, working with faculty, graduate and undergraduate researchers, and assisting with general lab and instrument upkeep. This position offers an excellent opportunity for individuals interested in advancing their research in an academic environment.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate must have strong analytical skills and attention to detail. A background in Biological Engineering, agricultural systems, plant physiology, or similar is required. The candidate will work on a USDA-NIFA funded project.

 

This research aims to improve abiotic stress response in two grasses: wheat (Triticum aestivum) a staple food crop, and a perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), through exogenous osmolyte (glycine betaine) delivery via highly porous silica or activated carbon nanocarriers capped with membrane-active Pluronic F68. (Objective-1) Develop and optimize nanocarriers for osmolyte delivery and utilization by plants. (Objective-2) Assess nanocarrier benefit to these grasses under drought stress.

 

Motivation: Exogenous glycine betaine benefits plants under abiotic stress; however, non-target osmolyte loss (soil sorption, leaching, and metabolism by microbes) will limit efficacy under field conditions. Hypothesis: Osmolytes loaded in highly porous nanocarriers coated with a membrane-active polymer (F68), will improve their delivery (soil and foliar) and plant utilization compared to nonencapsulated osmolytes. Silica benefit as a micronutrient is anticipated. Photosynthesis efficiency, nutrient acquisition, plant mass and morphology will be measured to understand mechanisms by which plant vigor (in drought-tolerant cultivars) is supported before, during, and after droughting.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Awarded Ph.D. in biological engineering or related field. Experience with crop growth (controlled environment and/or field studies) and associated methods of characterizing plant vigor such as measuring chlorophyll content, photosynthetic efficiency, evapotranspiration, nutrient content, etc.
• The successful candidate must have strong analytical, organizational, and writing (publishing manuscripts) skills.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

 

1. Resume to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”.

2. Cover Letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application.

3. Letter(s) of Recommendation to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”.

4. Transcript(s) to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”.

5. Research Statement to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”.

 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

$43,888, plus excellent benefits

ADA

Employees work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes. The employee is regularly required to sit and often uses repetitive hand motions.

College/Department Highlights

Biological Engineering at USU is a top-25 ranked program in the United States with strong collaborations across the USU campus to provide the successful candidate exposure to interdisciplinary research approaches and strong mentoring and career development.

University Highlights

Founded in 1888, Utah State University is Utah’s premier land-grant, public service university, with a strong commitment to excellence, access, and inclusion, empowering people to lead successful lives of involvement, innovation, and impact. Utah State provides high-quality education to 27,500-plus students locations throughout the state, including at three residential campuses, eight statewide campuses, and 23 education centers. USU Online educates students from all 50 states and 55 countries. For over 25 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns in all of Utah’s counties. As an R1 research institution, Utah State is dedicated to advancing knowledge through research and scholarly activities, providing a high-quality undergraduate and graduate education at an affordable price.

 

Utah State is committed to cultivating a community of inclusive excellence where all perspectives, values, cultures, and identities are acknowledged, welcomed, and valued. We seek to recru