Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Genomics, Genetics, and Nitrogen Efficiency in Maize North Carolina State University in United States

North Carolina State University is recruiting a Postdoctoral Research Scholar for a recently funded ARPA-E Teosynte project focused on improving nitrogen efficiency in maize and reducing nitrous oxide emissions from corn systems.

The research sits at the intersection of genomics, genetics, quantitative genetics, bioinformatics, plant breeding, and molecular genetics. The scholar will work with teosinte-derived near-isogenic lines and ancestral germplasm to identify and characterize traits related to biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) and biological denitrification inhibition (BDI), with the goal of translating useful alleles into modern corn.

Research activities may include QTL mapping and fine-mapping, comparative genomics, long-read genome analysis, RNA-seq/transcriptomics, root and rhizosphere metabolomics, high-throughput greenhouse phenotyping, and fluorescence-based enzyme assays in soil extracts. The project is highly collaborative and multi-institutional, involving NC State, the University of Illinois, the University of Arizona, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Applicants should have a PhD in a relevant field by the time of hire and experience in quantitative/statistical genetics, genomics, plant breeding, bioinformatics, statistical genetics, or molecular genetics. Programming skills in R, Python, bash, or similar languages are required. Experience with Linux HPC, greenhouse or field experimentation, and fluorescence assays is preferred.

The position is based at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. The posting lists an anticipated hiring range of $58,656–$63,000. Applications should be submitted through the NC State jobs portal, with a cover letter, CV/resume, and three professional references. For questions, contact Joseph Gage or Rubén Rellán Álvarez.