The Xu laboratory wishes to employ a Junior Specialist at 100% time who will contribute to plant developmental biology and single-cell genomics research. The candidate will work closely with the PI and other lab members to design and implement a variety of cutting-edge projects focused on plant development and evolution, single-cell genomics, genome editing, and genetics. They will have the opportunity to be involved in: 1) propagating and caring for plants such as maize and arabidopsis; 2) extracting DNA and RNA from plant tissues and single cells, genotyping plant mutations, and preparing libraries for next-generation sequencing; 3) performing molecular, cell biology, and biochemistry experiments such as building CRISPR gene-editing constructs, imaging fluorescence plants, protein extraction from bacteria and plants, and conducting immunoprecipitation and western blot for the protein of interests; 4) assisting the cutting-edge single-cell genomics analysis using packages in Linux, R, or Python.

Research and lab maintenance (90%): The Junior Specialist will work closely with PI and lab members to plan and conduct experiments on plant development and evolution. The candidate will maintain large experiments in the field, growth chamber, and greenhouse contexts. The candidate will also oversee the seed storage unit and track the inventory. The candidate will discuss and interpret their research results with lab members and will co-author the resulting publications as appropriate. In addition, the Junior specialist will help keep the lab running smoothly by ordering reagents and equipment, managing inventory, maintaining specialized equipment such as freezers and microscopies, keeping benches and workspaces clean, wash labware, preparing buffers, competent cells, media, and reagents for ongoing lab projects. The candidate will also train new lab members and assist in creating a culture of safety in the laboratory

Professional Competence and Activities (5%): The candidate will attend seminars on topics related to fields of interest, participate and present in lab meetings and participate in scientific discussions with colleagues, and may engage in training programs to enhance knowledge and skills depending on the candidate’s long-term goals.

University and Public Service (5%): The Junior Specialist will participate in public outreach activities and will help with the mentoring of undergraduate students or student interns.