Postdoctoral Researcher: Ecological genomics of non-model plants

Department: Department of Plant Sciences and Graduate Group in Ecology
Company/Organization: UC Davis
Location: Davis, CA
Deadline for Application: July 31, 2012

Andrew Latimer’s lab in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences and Graduate Group in Ecology is seeking seek a postdoctoral researcher to join a collaborative, international project on the ecological and genomic diversification of two lineages of plants in the Cape Floristic Region of South Africa. Genus Protea and genus Pelargonium contain hundreds of species packed into the super-diverse fynbos and succulent karroo biomes. These lineages have radiated in an aridifying climate over the past 10+ MY, occupying new ecological space and rapidly diversifying in morphology and function. The project group’s members have previously studied geographic distributions and functional trait variation in these plants. In this project, funded by NSF’s Dimensions of Biodiversity program, the team is using next-generation sequencing and genomic data analysis to link functional traits of species and populations in these groups to genetic variation. The lab is especially interested in how traits and genes have evolved along gradients in aridity and nutrient limitation.
http://darwin.eeb.uconn.edu/wiki/index.php/ParallelEvolutionaryradiationsinProteaandPelargoniumintheGreaterCapeFloristicRegion

In the first year of the project, Latimer’s lab established a common garden in Cape Town containing families from many populations of two focal species. The initial focus of this postdoctoral research project will be to use transcriptome sequences from these common garden plants to associate genetic variation with plant trait expression and source environments. Beyond this initial analysis, the postdoctoral researcher will be encouraged to pursue their own interests within the larger project framework. Topics include but are not limited to phylogenetic trait evolution, phylogeography, and adaptation to drought and nutrient deficient soils.

Requirements: Ph.D. in Genetics, Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Bioinformatics, or closely related field. Experience in producing, analyzing and interpreting genomic data. Enthusiasm for collaborating with an interdisciplinary research group that includes ecologists, systematists, population geneticists, and plant scientists. Skill in mentoring graduate and undergraduate students.

Start date: September 2012 (flexible). This will be a 1-year appointment with the possibility of reappointment for up to 3 years. Please apply by email to amlatimer@ucdavis.edu In your application include: a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this position and what approaches or projects you would like to pursue within it, your CV, names and contact information for three references, and one of your papers. UC Davis postdoc scale starts at $39,264 (new PhD), increases with experience.

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