A Postdoctoral fellow position characterizing the floral microbiome in diverse flowering plant communities is available in the laboratory of Tia-Lynn Ashman, Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh. Field work will be conducted in various natural and urban settings including Pennsylvania, California, Hawaii, and Germany.
The work will seek to understand the dominant ecological and evolutionary drivers of floral microbiome diversity by linking plant floral traits, biotic community characteristics (plant- pollinator interactions), abiotic habitat, geographic origin and phylogenetic history. Responsibilities include characterizing plant-pollinator interactions; chemical analyses of flower tissues; culture-independent characterization microbial diversity and function (e.g., amplicon sequencing; metagenomics); phylogenetically-controlled and community-level statistical analyses; and preparation of manuscripts for publication. There is also the ample opportunity to design and implement additional projects of mutual interest. The postdoc position is for two years. Start date is negotiable, but September 2016 is preferred. QUALIFICATIONS: PhD in biology, ecology, evolution, microbiology or related disciplines conferred by the time of appointment. Record of publication in the peer-reviewed literature; skills and experience in statistics, bioinformatics, microbial ecology, molecular biology and/or pollination biology; demonstrated verbal and written communication skills; self-motivation, critical thinking and problem solving skills; innovative ideas and vision for collaborative research. TO APPLY: Please send a CV and a description of your experience and interests as relevant to the position to [email protected], along with the names and contact information for three referees. In a covering letter clearly highlight skills and experience related to key responsibilities. Informal inquiries are also welcome! Review of application materials will begin immediately and continue until position is filled.
