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Junior /Assistant Specialist - Fungal Biology and Ecology - Department of Plant and Microbial Biology

Position overview

Position title: Junior Specialist to Assistant Specialist
Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2024-25/july-2024-scales/t24-b.pdf. A reasonable full-time salary estimate for this position is $53,100 -$61,300.

Percent time: 80% - 100%

Anticipated start: Summer 2025

Position duration: One year with the possibility of extension based on performance and availability of funding.

Application Window
Open date: March 16, 2025

Next review date: Monday, Mar 31, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Thursday, Apr 17, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position description

The Department of Plant and Microbial Biology at the University of California, Berkeley, invites applications for a Junior Specialist position in the Lofgren Mycology Laboratory, in the area of Fungal Biology and Ecology.

The Lofgren Mycology Lab uses ectomycorrhizal fungi to study the mechanisms of symbiosis using genomics, multi-omics, and molecular biology. This position will contribute to an NSF-funded project on fungal competition, which aims to quantify the metabolic cost of defense to host-plant nutrient trading dynamics using stable isotope tracing and metabolomics.

Responsibilities:

The position will contribute to the NSF-funded project in three major ways 1) the growth and maintenance of fungi and their plant hosts under a variety of co-culture conditions 2) the extraction of preparation of DNA/RNA for transcriptomics and metabolomic analysis, and 3) the isotopic enrichment of plants and fungi and subsequent stable isotope analysis. The candidate will keep a lab notebook detailing records of experiments performed, and regularly communicate progress orally to the PI, a postdoc project supervisor, and during lab meetings.

Specific Job duties:

• Axenic plant growth and maintenance.
• Fungal tissue culture and fungal competition experiments.
• Preparation of DNA/RNA.
• Isotopic analysis.
• Metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis.
• Contribution to manuscript preparation.
• Mentoring undergraduate students in laboratory techniques. 

Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
Bachelor's degree or enrolled in a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent international degree) program.

Additional qualifications (required at time of start)
Bachelor's degree (or equivalent international degree).

Preferred qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (B.S.) in Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Genomics, or a related field.
• Experience in DNA/RNA preparation for sequencing.
• Experience in PCR and gel electrophoresis.
• Experience with Fungal tissue culture.
• Experience with plant growth and maintenance.
• Demonstrated expertise in molecular biology, genetics, genomics, and fungal biology.
• Experience studying transcriptomics or metabolomics is desirable.
• Experience studying ecology, evolution, or symbiosis is desirable.

Application Requirements

Document requirements

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter

Reference requirements

• 3 required (contact information only)

Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04807

Help contact: lotuslofgren@berkeley.edu

About UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. The excellence of the institution requires an environment in which the diverse community of faculty, students, and staff are welcome and included. Successful candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skill related to ensuring equity and inclusion in the activities of their academic position (e.g., teaching, research, and service, as applicable).

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

Please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

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.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Job location
Berkeley, CA


To apply, visit https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04807