Post-doctoral Research Associate University of Minnesota A post-doctoral researcher is needed to join a team of researchers at the University of Minnesota and The Land Institute to continue development a new perennial grain crop from intermediate wheatgrass (Kernza). The incumbent will analyze data, write peer-reviewed papers, contribute to the design and development of new research projects, and assume leadership in the collection and management of data from existing experiments related to the agronomy and agroecology of intermediate wheatgrass grain production systems.
The research program is part of the Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota; a highly interdisciplinary team with sub-groups focused on breeding and genetics, agronomics, environmental impacts, food science, and commercialization. Although the incumbent will interact with members from all research sub-groups, she/he will be managing and developing projects with the agronomics and environmental impacts teams. Specifically, the incumbent will work to • Lead a newly funded on-farm experiment testing the effects of livestock grazing on intermediate wheatgrass grain yields. • Assist with data management and analysis of ongoing agronomic experiments testing the effects of nitrogen fertilizer rates, row spacing, plant growth regulators, and legume intercropping on intermediate wheatgrass grain yields. • Assist with analyzing lysimeter data and modeling nitrate leaching in intermediate wheatgrass, switchgrass, and annual row cropping systems using existing data from a three-year experiment conducted at multiple locations. • Participate in large-scale planning and development of intermediate wheatgrass research activities. This will include the opportunity to be a co-principle investigator on future grants. Other duties and responsibilities include working with graduate students, mentoring undergraduate students, and presenting at conferences. This position should result in multiple first-author publications as well as multiple co-authorship opportunities. The incumbent must have a PhD in agronomy, ecology, conservation biology, or related field, a strong background in grassland ecology, strong quantitative skills including computer programming in R, and a strong publication record. Preferred qualifications include experience with grass physiology, on-farm and field experimentation, and flexibility for frequent travel. More information on this initiative can be found by following the links below. http://www.forevergreen.umn.edu/ http://greenlandsbluewaters.net/strategies/perennial-grains/8-strategies/13-intermediate- wheatgrass http://civileats.com/2015/06/15/superwheat-kernza-could-save-our-soil-and-feed-us-well/ https://perennialecology.com/research/perennial-grains/ Start date: June or July, 2016 Duration: 2 years Salary: $43,000 To apply, visit https://www1.umn.edu/ohr/employment/ and search for job #309259. Please direct questions to Jacob Jungers at [email protected] Jacob M. Jungers, PhD Research Associate Dept. of Agronomy and Plant Genetics University of Minnesota 128 Borlaug Hall 1991 Upper Buford Circle St. Paul, MN 55108 [email protected] Office: 612-625-0210
