PhD Position: Ecological Genomics (University of Maine) As part of a new, collaborative NSF-funded research and training program in the genomic ecology of coastal organisms, the University of Maine seeks to hire a PhD student who will study genome-phenome relationships in natural populations. The student will be expected to conduct genomic and transcriptomic analyses towards understanding adaptation and fitness associations related to salinity tolerance and kidney function in tidal marsh sparrow species. The student will have the opportunity to conduct field work during summer months with field crews in tidal marshes across the Northeast US, from Maine to Virginia. Genomic analyses may include whole-genome sequencing, candidate gene sequencing, gene expression analyses, meta-barcoding, and microbiome characterization. The student will be one of five PhD students working collaboratively on the research and training program. All students will have the opportunity to work in collaboration with a diverse team of investigators, graduate students, and undergraduate students at both institutions.
This PhD student will be advised by Dr. Benjamin King ( https://umaine.edu/biomed/home/faculty/benjamin-king/) through the Molecular and Biomedical Sciences program at the University of Maine. The student will work in collaboration with a diverse team of investigators, graduate students, and undergraduate students at the Universities of New Hampshire and Maine studying the ecological genomics and eco-evolutionary feedback of adaptation in tidal marsh birds. The student will research genes and pathways under selection in tidal marsh sparrow species with greater salinity tolerance using comparative genomics, population genomics and transcriptomics. The student will be based primarily in Orono, Maine during the academic year, an hour to the ocean and an hour and a half to Maine’s highest peak. A start date of January 2019 is strongly preferred, and the candidate must start no later than May 2019. The successful candidate must have a strong background in genetics and/or bioinformatics. Preferred candidates will have demonstrated experience with genetics, genomics, and/or bioinformatics. Consistent with our program scope and to advance an integrated understanding of adaptation in nature, we are especially interested in candidates who show promise to engage intellectually across the diverse scales of genomes, phenomes, and environmental feedbacks. Individuals who are intellectually curious, responsible, willing to learn, and have attention to detail are encouraged to apply. An M.S. in a related field is preferred, but qualified candidates with extensive experiences will be considered regardless. How to apply: Please send a cover letter describing your qualifications, including your commitment to diversity and inclusion in collaborative science, a curriculum vitae, unofficial transcripts, and the contact information for at least three references to the contacts listed above for each position for which you would like to be considered. Please use “Ecological Genomics PhD Student Search” as the subject line of your email. All applications received before November 14, 2018 will receive full consideration, and applications will be accepted on a rolling basis thereafter until the positions are filled. A start date of January 2019 is strongly preferred, but is negotiable depending on the position in question. The Universities of Maine and New Hampshire Systems are both EEO/AA employers, and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status and gender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran’s status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. Please contact the Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 N. Stevens Hall, Orono, ME 04469 at 207-581-1226 (voice), TTY 711 (Maine Relay System), or [email protected], or the Affirmative Action and Equity Office, Thompson Hall 305, 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824-3547 at 603-862-2930 (voice), TTY: (603) 862-1527 • Relay NH: 7-1-1, or [email protected] with questions or concerns. -- Benjamin L. King, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Bioinformatics Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences 5735 Hitchner Hall University of Maine Orono, ME 04469-5735 207-581-2803 [email protected]
