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NOTE: THE MOST RECENT LISTINGS ARE THE TOP! Nearly all announcements have been edited to conserve space--be sure to obtain complete descriptions before applying.
Black Hills State University – Masters of Science in Integrative Genomics
Several Masters Graduate Assistant (GA) positions are available for Fall 2010 in Integrative Genomics (IG) Masters program at Black Hills State University, Spearfish, SD. The GA positions are available to students interested in working with any member of the IG faculty (http://www.bhsu.edu/Academics/TheColleges/CollegeofArtsandSciences/DepartmentsandPrograms/Masters/Faculty/tabid/4950/Default.aspx).
Integrative Genomics is an interdisciplinary graduate program that combines genomics, ecology, evolution, and physiology to better understand the evolutionary forces that have shaped the mechanisms that are important to species interactions in the wild. The program is designed to provide those seeking a Masters degree the necessary skills and concepts to work cooperatively with others in a research area that takes a systems-wide approach and incorporates an organism’s history and natural environment to understand organization and expression at the genomic level. Exposure to modern techniques and instrumentation in the laboratory and field prepares students for success in both academic and other biotechnology-related pursuits.
Integrative Genomics GAs receive an annual stipend of $16,640 and additional funds for laboratory supplies and expenses.
For an overview of the IG program and application information please visit our website http://www.bhsu.edu/Academics/TheColleges/CollegeofArtsandSciences/DepartmentsandPrograms/Masters/tabid/2164/Default.aspx or contact
Garth M. Spellman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Biology Department
Black Hills State University
1200 University Street, Unit 9053
Spearfish, SD 57799-9053
Garth.spellman@bhsu.edu
Founded in 1883, Black Hills State University is located in beautiful Spearfish, SD, the hub of the Northern Black Hills with a population of more than 10,000. Located on I-90, 10 minutes from the Wyoming border, Spearfish is only 46 miles from Rapid City, 65 miles from Mount Rushmore National Memorial and is an hour drive from Devils Tower and the Badlands of South Dakota. Spearfish Canyon, one of the oldest and most scenic canyons in the west, is a local favorite for hiking, biking and sightseeing. [Posted 16 December 2009]
The positions listed below were included in the Newsletter for December 2009.
The Conservation and Land Management Internship Program
Would you like to put your education to use assisting in important conservation projects? Do you like to experience new landscapes, habitats, and species diversity?
The Conservation and Land Management Internship Program is now accepting applications for 2010!
Each year, the award-winning Conservation and Land Management Internship Program places college graduates in five-month paid internships to assist professional staff at the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, the USDA Forest Service and other federal agencies. Internships take place throughout the US, with a majority located in the thirteen western states. CLM interns spend five months working on projects focused in botany and wildlife-related fields that may include monitoring or assessing threatened and endangered species and habitats. Benefits of the CLM Internship Program are numerous! As a CLM intern, you will receive a stipend of $11,000 over 5 months and will attend an all expenses-paid week long training workshop. In addition, the CLM Internship Program provides opportunities to make connections in various government and non-profit organizations. Learn first hand what it's like to work at a federal agency, explore your career goals and expand your resume!
For more information and to apply online, please visit: www.clminternship.org! [Posted 17 November 2009]
H.M. BURKILL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP SINGAPORE BOTANIC GARDENS
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is pleased to offer an annual Humphrey Morrison Burkill Research Fellowship on a competitive basis to a qualified botanist with special interest in the flora of South East Asia.
The H.M. Burkill Research Fellowship is a generous bequest from Peter Burkill and Linda Upfill, the children of H. M. Burkill to honour their father and grandfather, I. H. Burkill. The senior Burkills were both former directors of the Singapore Botanic Gardens: I. H. Burkill (1912-1925) and H.M. Burkill (1957-1969). Its primary aim is to help promising young botanists to develop a career in tropical botany.
The yearly H.M. Burkill Research Fellowship offers the successful applicant a one-time sum of up to S$4,500. The money is to be used for a proposed period of up to three weeks stay in Singapore to carry out research in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The funds may be used for research related costs, including airfare, food and living expenses in Singapore.
The proposed research project submitted for consideration must be based on the resources of the Singapore Botanic Gardens including the herbarium.
Qualifications of the Applicants:
* A PhD degree in Botany, or a post-graduate student in higher degree program in Botany at a recognised university
* Preferably below the age of 30
* Demonstration of a strong interest and promising research skills/potential in tropical botany
How to apply?
Interested applicants shall send their application letter, together with the research proposal and an updated cv, by email or air mail to Dr. Chin See Chung, Director, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569; email address; chin_see_chung@nparks.gov.sg
The proposal should state the proposed period of stay in Singapore and the requested amount of financial support up to a maximum of S$4,500.
Requirements
The Research Fellow shall submit a report on the research accomplishments before departing Singapore. He/she shall acknowledge the H.M. Burkill Research Fellowship and the Singapore Botanic Gardens in any subsequent publications that use information generated during the period of the award.
The deadline for the submission of applications for the first award of the H.M. Burkill Research Fellowship for the year 2010 shall be 31 March, 2010. The selected recipient will be informed duly in writing. [Posted 17 November 2009]
The Anne S. Chatham Fellowship
The Garden Club of America is pleased to announce a fellowship open to Ph.D. candidates and recent Ph.D.s to promote the study of medicinal botany. The fellowship was established to protect and preserve knowledge about the medicinal use of plants, and thus prevent the disappearance of plants with therapeutic potential. Providing this research opportunity for botanists can, in turn, assist medical science in its ability to protect lives, alleviate suffering, and develop new medicines. The fellowship was created and endowed by a generous contribution from Anne S. Chatham, a member of the Garden Club of America's Scholarship Committee and a member of the Jupiter Island Garden Club.
To this end, the Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany will provide one grant award of $4,000 annually. An important aspect of the award is that it is intended to enable a student to pursue an avenue of research that might otherwise prove closed. Accordingly, the funds may be used to cover direct costs associated with travel, field studies, or laboratory research. However, fellowship funds may not be used to cover indirect costs or overhead and should not be used to pay for lab space or supplies normally provided by universities.
Eligible candidates include students currently enrolled in Ph.D. programs at recognized universities and recent graduates who have received their degrees in the last five years. The fellowship recipient will be selected by a panel of botanists appointed by the Missouri Botanical Garden and is subject to approval by the Garden Club of America Scholarship Committee.
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit the following:
- A brief application letter.
- An abstract of 200 words or less.
- A 1-2 page research proposal, set in 12-point type (proposals should be detailed and will be treated as confidential; proposals longer than 1-2 pages will be considered ineligible).
- A one page budget.
- Current curriculum vitae.
- A letter from major advisor certifying graduate enrollment for graduate students.
- Copies of appropriate permits for field work or any studies including animals, research clearances, and permission from governmental agencies should be provided for all foreign research.
Proposals should be received by January 15, 2010.
Mail applications to:
Dr. Wendy Applequist
Missouri Botanical Garden
Dept. 43
P.O. Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166-0299
Additional information may be obtained by contacting Bruce Ponman at the
address above or by phone (314-577-9565) or email
(bruce.ponman@mobot.org), or online at
http://www.wlbcenter.org/chatham.htm. [Posted 28 October 2009]
Postdoctoral fellowship. Massey University, New Zealand. Evolution of dioecy.
A two year postdoctoral fellowship is available to investigate the evolution of sexual dimorphism in Plagianthus (Malvaceae), a genus endemic to New Zealand. For this project, we are combining detailed morphological analyses with genomic approaches to investigate dioecy in this recently evolved group. The successful applicant will have experience with conducting detailed morphological analyses (especially scanning electron microscopy) and implementing molecular genetic approaches (PCR, RT-PCR, and gene sequencing). Gene discovery using next-generation sequencing will also be employed for this project; therefore, experience with bioinformatics is also desirable. The candidate should hold a Ph.D. in botany, genetics, or evolutionary biology. We seek an individual who is enthusiastic, highly motivated, and willing to work independently as well as with a team.
This project is a collaboration between Jennifer Tate (http://imbs.massey.ac.nz/massey/depart/sciences/institutes/imbs/staff/tate_jennifer.cfm) at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand and Barbara Ambrose (http://www.nybg.org/science/scientist_profile.php?id_scientist=104) at The New York Botanical Garden. The candidate will be based in the Tate lab. Palmerston North is a small and friendly university town, which is located 2 hours from Wellington, the winery region of Hawke’s Bay, and the volcanic plateau. The position will be based within the Institute of Molecular BioSciences, which hosts the Manawatu Microscopy and Imaging Centre (http://sitemap.massey.ac.nz/massey/depart/sciences/centre/mmic/mmic_home.cfm). The postdoctoral fellow will also have the opportunity to interact with researchers in the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution (http://www.allanwilsoncentre.ac.nz/).
The closing date for applications is 20 November 2009. Starting date is flexible, but must be no later than 1 August 2010. For more information about this position, please contact Jennifer Tate (j.tate@massey.ac.nz). To apply for this position, please visit http://jobs.massey.ac.nz (reference A390-09B). [Posted 21 September 2009]
Postdoctoral Position in Plant Systematics / Genomics, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University
A postdoctoral position to apply genomic approaches to plant systematics is open in the laboratories of Dr. Aaron Liston and Dr. Richard Cronn at Oregon State University. This is an NSF-funded collaborative project with Dr. Mark Fishbein at Oklahoma State University. The position involves the sequencing of the genome of Asclepias syriaca (milkweed) and chloroplast genomes from ca. 150 species of Asclepias and relatives. Research will involve next generation sequencing using the Illumina platform, genome assembly and annotation, and phylogenetic analysis. The applicant will work collaboratively with researchers and graduate students and be responsible for aspects of project coordination, supervision of 1-2 undergraduates, writing manuscripts and contributing to the development of research directions. Duties will encompass sample preparation for Illumina sequencing, assembly and annotation of genomic sequence data, and phylogenetic analysis. The applicant is required to have a Ph.D. in biological sciences with expertise in plant systematics. Experience with the Linux operating system and computer programming is highly desirable.
Salary will be commensurate with experience and the position will be renewed annually for up to 3 years. To apply for this position, candidates should send a resume including description of past research, copies of publications, future professional interests, and the names and contact information for three references to Aaron Liston at listona@science.oregonstate.edu.
Closing date: November 1, 2009 or until the position is filled.
Position available: December 1, 2009. [Posted 15 September 2009]
Postdoctoral Fellow, California Academy of Sciences
Position Title: Postdoctoral Fellow, Planetary Biodiversity Inventory Project (PBI)
Department: Botany
Prepared Date: July 2009
Prepared By: Frank Almeda
FLSA Status: Exempt
POSITION SUMMARY:
A postdoctoral position is available for one year with annual renewal possible up to five years to work on the Miconieae (Melastomataceae) PBI project. This NSF-funded multi-institution project will produce a web-based, phylogenetically informed monograph for the 1,800 species of the neotropical tribe Miconieae that includes comprehensive descriptions, images, identification keys, and distribution maps for each species. Primary responsibilities will include the creation of species descriptions, SEM images of reproductive and other features, interactive keys, field work and morphological phylogenetic analyses. The incumbent will contribute to all aspects of the project and will work closely with a PI and Research Assistant based at the California Academy of Sciences (CAS). Assigned responsibilities require a Ph.D. and advanced knowledge of plant systematics as evidenced by research, publications, and field experience. Experience in tropical botany is desirable. This position reports to the CAS based Project PI and works closely with a dedicated research assistant as well as the curatorial support staff in the Department of Botany at CAS.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Under supervision of PI, prepare species descriptions and taxonomic keys using museum collections at CAS and other relevant herbaria
• Oversee and perform identification of collections pertinent to the project
• Plan and participate in field work, as needed, to generate collections relevant to the project
• Work closely with a research assistant to create SEM images of taxonomically important features and evaluate relevant literature
• Supervise research assistant activities in data basing collections
• Writing skills pertinent to the project
• Follow all Academy safety regulations
• Follow all Academy safety regulations
• Other duties as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:
The ideal candidate will possess the following education and/or equivalent experience:
• Ph.D. with specialty in Plant Systematics and experience in conducting research and field work
• Experience with preparation of taxonomic keys, revisions and/or taxonomic monographs
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
• Proficiency with literature and terminology of systematic botany
• Computer skills including experience with database use
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn GIS applications
• Strong organizational skills
• Familiarity with or willingness to learn SEM techniques
LANGUAGE SKILLS: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups or individuals. Knowledge of Spanish desirable.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT: The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, sit, walk, and reach with hands and arms, and talk or hear. Must be able to perform motions 50% of the time. Must be able to lift 30 lbs. Must be able to climb ladders 10% of the day. Must be able to reach above shoulder level for 20% of the day. Must be able to perform computer data entry up to 30% of the day.
In the Research Division, the employee will be working with biological collections, some of which will be on loan from other institutions. In the past, these collections were often treated with chemicals to preserve them, to retard the growth of fungal and bacterial infections or to prevent pest infestations. Although these methods are no longer used, many of the specimens contain permanent residues of these chemicals. While safety measures are in place to minimize the risk to employees, the applicant for this position should be aware of this potential hazard. Chemicals and chemical residues which employees may be exposed to include naphthalene, mercuric chloride, ethanol, methyl bromide, strychnine, DDT and Vapona.
COMPENSATION/BENEFITS: Salary is commensurate with experience. This is a full-time position. This position is eligible for excellent medical and dental benefits. It is also eligible for participation in a supplemental retirement annuity and flexible spending accounts. [Posted 18 August 2009]