UC Davis

Position Title: Postdoctoral Scholar in Plant Specialized Metabolism and Plant-Insect Interaction Position Type: Post-Doctoral Position Department/Division: Department of Plant Biology Field: Plant Specialized Metabolism, Plant-Insect Interaction, Plant Synthetic Biology Address: 605 Hutchison Drive
Green Hall Room 1002
Davis, CA 95616-5270
United States General Information:

A Postdoctoral Scholar position is available immediately in the Department of Plant Biology at the University of California, Davis. We seek a talented and highly motivated scientist with a keen interest in the study of plant specialized metabolism and plant-insect interactions. The successful candidate will join a multidiscliplinary research project on the biosynthesis and evolution of acylsugars, which involves genomic-based gene and pathway elucidation, protein structure-function analysis, plant synthetic biology, and metabolomics.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Basic Qualifications
• PhD degree in Plant Biology, Plant Science, Biochemistry or related field with no more than two years of postdoctoral training after completion of the Ph.D.
• Highly motivated and committed to conducting research.
• A strong track record in investigating biosynthetic pathways, plant synthetic biology, or plant-insect interaction.
• Excellent problem-solving, and oral and written communication skills.
• Advanced interpersonal skills with experience working within a team.
• Commitment to workplace health and safety principles.

Preferred Qualifications
• Expertise in LC-MS/MS techniques.
• Experienced in genomics/transcriptomics-based gene discovery.
• Experienced in gene-editing and plant stable transformation.
• Familiarity and working knowledge of standard bioinformatics tools and packages.
• Familiarity with the supervision of students and technicians.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate is expected to actively engage in innovative and collaborative lab research on a semi-independent basis. Responsibilities include designing and evaluating experiments, developing ideas that advance ongoing research projects, and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students. The candidate is also expected to prepare manuscripts, attend and present research findings in seminars, and assist with the maintenance of laboratory operations. Additional duties supporting the research group may be assigned by the Principal Investigator.

Application Instructions:

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter addressing the above selection criteria, CV, and contact information for three referees (all in one PDF) to: yrlou@ucdavis.edu. Consideration will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For questions, please contact Yann-Ru Lou (yrlou@ucdavis.edu).

Website: Compensation Range: Contact Name: Yann-Ru Lou Contact Email: yrlou@ucdavis.edu Application Submission Opening: March 20, 2025 | Deadline: October 1, 2025   Back to All Job Listings.