The Cereal Grains Breeding & Genetics Program (Clemson-cereals.org) led by Dr. Richard Boyles at Clemson University’s Pee Dee Research & Education Center has a postdoctoral research associate position available that was created to accelerate the research and application of genomic prediction and other advanced genetic/genomic technologies that will increase the program’s efficiency and rate of genetic gain in sorghum hybrid development. The program also runs a large winter small grains pure line breeding program. The individual is expected to contribute a major portion of his/her time towards pre-breeding/germplasm enhancement, computational analysis of disease and productivity traits, and genomic prediction models to better predict overall genotype performance and individual quantitative trait values from high-density genotyping data. The project that the postdoc is supported by will have significant collaborations with the broader U.S. sorghum community, including seed companies at land-grant universities, at the USDA-ARS, and in the private sector. Project areas include but are not limited to (1) sorghum cultivar development for the southeastern USA, (2) trait discovery for biotic stressors, (3) sorghum improvement for marginal production systems, and (4) genomic prediction in hybrid crops. Major Responsibilities: Develop sorghum pre-breeding material with improved biotic stress resistance – This task is to advance the genetic resources for the sorghum community to accelerate the pace of genetic progress made to combat major biotic threats of the 21st century. This includes but is not limited to fungal pathogens, prevalent viruses, and harmful insect pests. The postdoc will operate a trait introgression pipeline to incorporate beneficial resistance alleles in elite sorghum material. The tudent may deploy mapping approaches as needed to discover new resistance alleles and develop genetic markers to aid introgresson. (40%) Field trial implementation and data collection – The postdoc will oversee and support an annual sorghum screening nursery for resistance to biotic stressors, with a large emphasis on anthracnose (Colletotrichum subblineola). (30%) Development, testing, and implementation of genomic prediction – The postdoc will have access to phenotypic and genomic datasets as well as existing genomic prediction models established by the program to further modify and improve to better account for genetic relatedness, environmental interactions, and presence/absence of major genes. (20%) Graduate student training and support – Knowledge and skills in bioinformatics, genomics, and computational biology are anticipated to be extremely valuable to aspiring plant geneticists and breeders. Educating students on basic and applied aspects in these fields will provide them with important experience that will help them be successful in their postdoctoral careers. (10%)
Required Qualifications (1) PhD in plant breeding and genetics, plant sciences, plant pathology, or related field. (2) Advanced knowledge and research experience in plant breeding/genetics, plant pathology, and/or computational biology/bioinformatics that will be needed for designing and implementing applied plant genetic research and trait introgression. Desired Qualifications (1) Relevant project management experience (private industry, non-profit, or academic). (2) Relevant experience in graduate and/or undergraduate student training. (3) The candidate must be highly organized and able to work effectively with and manage a group of individuals with diverse backgrounds and skillsets.
To apply, please submit the following documents through Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/187125
1. CV 2. Letter of interest 3. Transcript 4. Contact info for 3 references
Clemson University is an EEO/AA employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to characteristics protected by applicable law including disability and protected veteran status.
