Job Details

Job Description

The Mueller lab is looking for a postdoctoral candidate to understand the molecular mechanisms determining symbiosis outcomes in an intimate relationship between plants and beneficial soil fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis. Plants benefit from interacting with AM fungi by increased mineral nutrient uptake, whereas fungi obtain carbon products from their plant hosts.

The postdoc will work in the collaborative framework of the Salk Institute's Harnessing Plants Initiative (HPI) to identify novel regulators of plant responses to AM fungi, with a particular focus on fungal roles on expanding root systems and increasing belowground carbon transfer. Specifically, the postdoc will use natural variation in legumes to identify new genomic regulators of symbiosis trait variation, which will serve as engineering targets for enhanced root growth, plant resilience, and soil carbon storage. The postdoc will use molecular plant biology, quantitative genetics, and single cell -omics approaches to identify and characterize novel host regulators that determine symbiosis outcomes.

The ideal candidates will be biologists who have training in plant and/or microbial science and expertise with molecular biology, plant physiology, and/or genetics. Experience with legume genetics, genomics, quantitative genetics, molecular plant-microbe interactions, and/or bioinformatics are desirable but not required. Candidates should be intellectually curious, highly productive, driven, and able to work independently as well as in a team. We are deeply committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment where every individual's unique background, perspective, and talents are valued.

Education

PhD in a related field.

Job location is in Salk Main Campus

What We Can Offer

The full postdoctoral salary range for wet lab opportunities is $70,500-$78,000 (see below). This range covers the entire postdoctoral training period; recent Ph.D. graduates should expect an offer at or close to $70,500 (minimum of the salary range). Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Experience Level/Tier

Salk Postdoc Salary

0

$70,500

1

$72,000

2

$73,500

3

$75,000

4

$76,500

5

$78,000

Benefits

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.

Salk Values

The Salk Community, both scientists and administrators, worked together to define values that we believe support Salk's pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries, but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.

The acronym "I CARE" provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students, employees, applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintains a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.

Accordingly, the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of, and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to, actual or perceived race (race is inclusive of traits associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles include, but not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, and twists), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status (disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era, other covered veteran status), political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Discrimination is prohibited with any intersectionality of the above-mentioned characteristics, including:

1. Any combination of characteristics.
2. A perception that the person has any of the characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.
3. A perception that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.