Recruit

The Tree System Lab at the University of California Davis is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to join their team in investigating various aspects of crop physiology of California orchard systems. The candidate must have a comprehensive knowledge in applied crop physiology. In addition, the postdoc will work under the supervision of Dr. Giulia Marino and Dr. Paula Guzman Delgado

The main goal of Dr. Marino's and Dr. Delgado's lab is two-fold: 1) to create basic knowledge on the impact of abiotic stressors such as limited water, increased salinity, or erratic temperatures on tree physiological processes linked with productivity, and 2) to use this knowledge to develop management strategies that maximize agricultural industry resilience to climatic change. Key crops include pistachio, olive, cherry, and almond.

Efforts of the postdoctoral researcher will be directed towards activities outlined within various ongoing projects, where they will assume a leadership role or actively collaborate with other team members. Project examples aim at developing plant-based irrigation strategies for olive and pistachio with limited water supply, improving winter chill accumulation and its calculation in cherry under warm winters, improving harvest efficiency in almond, or evaluating cultivar and rootstock horticultural performance. The work approach integrates both applied and fundamental perspectives, field and laboratory experiments, and traditional and innovative tools. Dr. Marino and Dr. Delgado participate in various extension events and field days to showcase their research and outreach their findings to different industries’ stakeholders, and they expect the candidate to collaborate on that.

The position is for two years and will be at 100% time, paid according to the University of California postdoc pay scale

90% Responsibilities:
• Characterize and quantify the impact of water stress on pistachio and olive physiology and productivity.
• Identify irrigation management strategies to grow pistachio and olive with less water but enhancing quality traits.
• Characterize key physiological and productive traits of pistachio cultivars and rootstocks.
• Collaborate on the development of methods and models that evaluate, predict and mitigate the impact of warm winter temperatures on cherry bloom and fruit set.
• Analyze datasets of plant and environmental parameters using statistical and mathematical methods.
• Prepare manuscripts for publication.
• Coordinate project group meetings with stakeholders from government, academic, extension, agricultural, tech, and private sectors.
• Present results at conferences and publish results in peer-reviewed journals.

10% Responsibilities:
• Extension, Mentorship, and Outreach

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.