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PRIMARY POSITION FUNCTION/SUMMARY:

The Leakey group at the University of Illinois (http://lab.igb.illinois.edu/leakey/) seeks creative and energetic applicants for two postdoctoral associate positions studying stomata, photosynthesis and water use efficiency in the model C4 species of sugarcane and setaria. The positions will be involved in long-term collaborative projects funded by the Department of Energy and National Science Foundation, which involve multidisciplinary teams of physiologists, geneticists, computer scientists and molecular biologists. Our goals are to understand the genetic and physiological controls of photosynthetic water use efficiency through a combination of molecular genetics, quantitative genetics, and physiology. The projects will benefit substantially from significant advances in high-throughput phenotyping and germplasm development made by our team and collaborators in recent years, as well as a new large-scale field facility for imposing drought treatments. The positions will offer excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary training and a creative work environment at the Institute for Genomic Biology, which houses the CABBI and Gates Foundation-funded RIPE project (http://ripe.illinois.edu/) laboratories.

Position requirements:

Candidates should have a strong background in molecular genetics or physiology, preferably with a focus on stomata or photosynthesis. The successful applicant will be expected to actively engage with a collaborative team using synthetic biology, gene editing and enhanced efficiency transformation strategies to improve the water use efficiency of C4 crops.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is an equal opportunity employer and offers highly competitive salary and excellent health care benefits. Questions about these positions or applications including a letter of application, CV and the names of three referees can be addressed by email to Melinda Laborg (laborg@uiuc.edu).

Position is immediately available, but the start date is flexible. Applications will be reviewed as they are received.

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.

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