Research Scholar

The NC State University Plants for Human Health Institute (PHHI) is an established Institute located on the NC Research Campus in Kannapolis, NC. The NC Research Campus was created to have all aspects of human health and nutrition in one place complimented by multiple state and private entities providing the academic and research resources. The PHHI currently houses researchers and staff from various departments within CALS.

Essential Job Duties

Dr. Iorizzo's lab at NCSU is looking for a highly motivated Research Scholar position that will design, and perform advanced genetic/genomic research studies with an emphasis on quality and health-protective traits, including enhanced texture, size, chemical composition (pH, Sugars, Organic Acids), concentrations and profiles of phytoactive compounds. The person will coordinate and/or conduct multiple, concurrent assignments or a multi-faceted project, including the development of independent research objectives. The person will work as part of a laboratory team, will interact closely with collaborating laboratories, and must be able to coordinate activities and reports within a diverse team of individuals. The candidate must have a strong background in quantitative genetics and motivation and proficiency for publications.

The position will be responsible for writing publications, preparation of technical reports, manuscripts, and presentations, as well as contribute to grant proposal development to support research funding initiatives. The position will assist/participate in PHHI and University sponsored programs. The position will also assist in the training and mentoring of post-doc, undergraduate, and graduate students. Crops of interest in this project will include blueberry and carrot.

Dr. Iorizzo's research aims to leverage advanced genetic and genomic resources to study the structure of the crop genomes and elucidate the genetic mechanisms and genes associated with enhanced quality characteristics including health properties. Crops of interest in his program include blueberry, carrot, banana, pineapple, spinach, cranberry, and potato. Overall, Dr. Iorizzo's research contributes to expanding access to high-quality genomic resources to the broader fruit and vegetable research and breeding community and expands knowledge on genetic factors controlling quality traits. In the long term, his research will facilitate the selection of new improved cultivars of fruit and vegetables with improved quality and health-promoting characteristics. As a mentor and supervisor, Dr. Iorizzo places priority on mentoring his trainees to perform their work toward publications, which ultimately is a critical skill for future career and professional growth. The candidate must have a strong motivation and proficiency for publications.

The position will be responsible for overseeing phenotyping, data collection, and genetic analysis. Responsibility will include: coordinating/performing sample collection, processing, data analysis, and data interpretation. Perform statistical analysis to validate the data, correlate metabolic profile and agronomic traits, extract and analyze high-throughput molecular marker data (SNPs), perform QTL mapping and Genome Wide Association Analysis in diploid and polyploidy species, and integrate the results with genomic data to identify candidate genes underlying the trait of interest. Provide support to peers, collaborative partners, and other students.

You Belong Here! At NC State, our goal is for all employees to reach their fullest potential at work. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition (https://news.hr.ncsu.edu/you-belong-here/) and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

This position is located in Kannapolis, NC.

Other Responsibilities

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience

• PhD in plant breeding and genetics or related field

Other Required Qualifications

• Strong background in quantitative genetics, (QTL and GWAS), QTL interaction, and marker prediction analysis, in diploid and polyploid plants is essential

• Experience with haplotype-based GWAS

• Be familiar with bioinformatics analysis needed for sequence alignment, SNP and variant call, haplotype comparison, candidate gene analysis, RNA seq

• Experience in population genetic analysis (e.g. phylogenetic, PCA, structure, nucleotide diversity) and linkage map construction in diploid and polyploid species

• Proficiency to publish findings in well-recognized peer-reviewed journals

• Ability to manage more than one project in a rapid and smooth manner while being able to interact and communicate with research personnel from diverse disciplines

• Familiar with molecular biology techniques (DNA, RNA extraction, PCR)

• Must demonstrate the ability to work independently and creatively

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in integrating quantitative genetic data and whole genome data for candidate gene identification is preferred

• Experience in RNAseq data analysis

• 3 years of experience as post-doc.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

n/a

Valid NC Driver's License required No Commercial Driver's License required No