Recruit

The Leveau lab at UC Davis invites highly motivated, qualified and independent individuals to apply for a Postdoctoral Fellow position to study the plant pathobiome. More specifically, this Postdoctoral Fellow will describe, compare, explain, and predict the microbial communities that associate with the rhizosphere of diseased and healthy carrots (Daucus carota). The objective is to identify causative, facultative, and preventative agents of soilborne diseases of carrot and to build a knowledge base for microbiome-based solutions towards sustainable carrot production.
The successful applicant will be responsible for the design and execution of experiments that involve the sampling of carrots from experimental and commercial fields, the collection of bulk and rhizosphere soil from these carrots, the extraction of microbial DNA from soil and plant tissue, the preparation of this DNA for metagenomic and amplicon sequencing, and the use of bioinformatic pipelines to analyze and interpret the sequence data. Disease focus will be on cavity spot which is caused by the oomycete Pythium violae and on forking and galling of carrots which is induced by root-knot nematodes. The applicant will work under the supervision of Dr. Johan Leveau at UC Davis, in close collaboration with Dr. Steven Klosterman and colleagues at the USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Salinas. The work will be performed in the laboratory of Dr. Leveau at UC Davis and in the brand new, state-of-the-art agriculture research facility at the USDA-ARS in Salinas. The successful applicant will have the opportunity to attend workshops or courses aimed at advancing their existing analytical skills as required by ongoing and future research projects, to mentor students, and to participate in the preparation and writing of manuscripts and grants.
UC Davis is a vibrant academic environment and offers multiple opportunities for attending seminars and interacting with other groups that are interested in the microbiota or diseases of plants and other organisms.
Applications from individuals with a background in studying the microbial communities from organisms other than plants are equally encouraged.

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.