Postdoctoral position, May, 2013: The Kursar/Coley lab is looking for a Ph.D. ecologist or chemical ecologist with an interest in plant-herbivore interactions. A background in chemistry is useful but not essential. This could include analytical chemistry, metabolomics, chemoinformatics, or the use of statistical packages for the analysis of large data sets from LC-MS or GC-MS.
The primary responsibility will be the analysis by LC-MS of the secondary metabolites, including non-protein amino acids, saponins and highly diverse phenolics, of multiple species in a genus of tropical tree, Inga, in a project funded by NSF. Our lab owns and has full-time access to a Waters I- class UPLC with a Xevo-G2 Q-ToF detector. The position also entails care of the LC-MS. All maintenance is covered by contract with Waters. The ideal candidate will have an excellent record of publication. The position also entails interacting with graduate students and co-supervision of undergraduates. Our research focuses on understanding the divergence of defenses among species of the tropical tree genus, Inga, a process that may be central to speciation and coexistence, two fundamental, long-standing and unresolved issues in ecology. The position is flexible such that, in addition to the core metabolomics goals, one also may focus on related aspects of particular interest to the candidate. The University of Utah encourages applications from individuals with disabilities, minorities, veterans, and women and is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Information about our lab is at: http://biologylabs.utah.edu/coley/ The position is available on September 1 for an initial period of 1 year, with an option of up to 1 additional year. Salary (plus full benefits) will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. Please provide a CV, the contact information for three references, and a short (500- to 1000- word) statement regarding your future, long-term goals. Address questions and applications to Tom Kursar at [email protected]
