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Junior Specialist position with the Lazcano Soil Biodiversity and Health Lab

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Position overview

Salary range: A reasonable estimate for this position is $49,000 at Step 1 or $52,500 at Step 2.

Position description

The Lazcano Soil Biodiversity and Health Lab is seeking a highly motivated individual to contribute to the ongoing projects in soil ecology and soil health in different agricultural settings (https://lazcano.faculty.ucdavis.edu).
The successful candidate will participate in soil sampling and analysis to determine the variability in different aspects of soil health in wine grape production. Parallel research will try to determine the biological processes underpinning changes in soil health under different management strategies. The Junior specialist will interact closely with growers and perform field sampling in different regions of California (Lodi, Sonoma, Monterey, Santa Maria), with occasional samplings that will require traveling to vineyards in the Oregon. In addition, the Junior Specialist will be expected to work on parallel projects studying plant-microbial interactions in the rhizosphere. Therefore, the Junior specialist will develop a comprehensive skillset in the analysis of soil biology and biochemical properties.

Under the supervision of Dr. Lazcano, the Junior Specialist will perform the following duties:
I. Research (90%)
• Coordination and leading of soil sampling events, in collaboration with the lab graduate students.
• Collection of soil, plant and gas samples at the field sites
• Processing of the samples collected (sieving, drying, grinding)
• Biochemical analyses of the samples (microbial biomass, C and N contents, microbial activity, etc.)
• Maintenance and troubleshooting of the instruments and tools in the lab
• Recordkeeping, data entry and synthesis.
• Implementation and maintenance of UC Davis lab safety requirements
• Participation in regular lab meetings
• Regular and fluent communication with the PI and graduate students
• Review research proposals, journal manuscripts, and publications related to area of expertise.
• Contribution to scholarly scientific manuscripts from the lab, by writing methods, creating figures and performing statistical analyses on the data collected

II. Professional competence (5%):
The Junior Specialist will be encouraged to attend and present at regular laboratory group meetings, attend seminars at the university, and local scientific and extension meetings to present data. Examples of meetings where the candidate would present are, wine-industry field days, The California Plant and Soil annual conference, the California Annual Small Farm Conference as well as the annual meetings of the American Geophysical Union and the Soil Science Society of America.

III. University and public service (5%):
The Junior Specialist may lead and mentor undergraduate lab assistants working in the lab

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

• A Bachelor's degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, Environmental Science and Management, or a related field by the time of the appointment.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)

a) Evidence of prior research experience in specialized areas.
b) Evidence of professional competence and activity.
c) Evidence of university and/or public service.
d) Evidence of strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
e) Evidence of excellence in communication skills with proficiency in both written and verbal English.
f) Evidence of ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
g) Commitment to enhancing diversity and inclusivity, within the department, the university, and across the broader academic community.
h) Experience in MS Office (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint) or other appropriate computer programs (GIS, R, SQL, MARK) to organize, summarize and analyze data.

Preferred qualifications (other preferred, but not required, qualifications for the position)

• Valid driver’s license
• Experience with Word and Excel
• Excellent communication skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Previous research experience working in the lab and field
• Previous experience in vineyard soil research
• Previous experience in scientific conferences
• Experience with statistical analysis
• Fluent in Spanish

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

Reference requirements
  • 2-3 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF05462

Help contact: ajlanderson@ucdavis.edu

About UC Davis

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

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Job location

Davis, CA