• Contribute to increasing food crop yields and resilience to environmental challenges
• Use cutting edge RNAi technologies to alter genes to influence recombination rates
• Join CSIRO Agriculture and Food for this exciting postdoctoral fellowship

The Position:

Postdoctoral Fellows are appointed for up to two years and will work closely with a leading Research Scientist or Engineer in their respective field. They carry out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO with the possibility of novel and important scientific outcomes. They present the findings in appropriate publications and at conferences.

As the world’s population continues to grow, substantial gains in food crop yields and resilience to environmental challenges are needed to maintain and increase food supply. Agricultural breeding programs are actively seeking technologies that increase the rate by which novel genetic profiles and diversity (genetic gain) can be generated and explored for desirable performance traits.

This position will investigate ways to alter recombination rates in the plant model system Arabidopsis thaliana, and translate this knowledge into crop species such as Brassica napus. In particular the project will investigate key genes which regulate recombination rates, and how the chromatin landscape influences the rate and position of recombination. Cutting edge RNAi technologies will be used to alter genes to influence recombination rates.

Your duties will include:

• Under the direction of senior research scientists, carrying out innovative, impactful research of strategic importance to CSIRO that will, where possible, lead to novel and important scientific outcomes.
• Growing plants and characterising any morphological changes which may be observed in transgenic RNAi or mutant lines.
• Using molecular techniques such as real-time PCR, cloning and Northern blot hybridization, to investigate differential gene expression between parental lines and hybrid combinations.
• Characterising changes in recombination rates, and carrying out genome-wide analyses associated with SNP calling and genotype identification.
• Producing high quality scientific and/or engineering papers suitable for publication in quality journals, for client reports and granting of patents.

Location: Black Mountain, Canberra
Salary: $82k to $93k plus up to 15.4% superannuation
Tenure: Specified term of up to 2 years
Job ref: 58706

To be successful you will have:

• A doctorate (or will shortly satisfy the requirements of a PhD) in a relevant discipline area, such as Biological sciences. Please note: To be eligible for this role you must have no more than 4 years of relevant postdoctoral experience.
• High level written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent the research team effectively internally and externally, including at national and international conferences.
• Experience working in biology.
• Strong background in molecular biology techniques, such as cloning, northern blot hybridization and Real-time PCR polymerisation.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary, regionally dispersed research team, plus the motivation and discipline to carry out autonomous research.
• A record of science innovation and creativity, plus the ability & willingness to incorporate novel ideas and approaches into scientific investigations.

Before applying please view the full position details and selection criteria here: Position Details

About Us

We imagine. We collaborate. We innovate. At CSIRO, we do the extraordinary every day. We innovate for tomorrow and help improve today – for our customers, all Australians and the world. We do this by using science and technology to solve real issues. Diversity is the compass that navigates our innovation. We provide an inclusive workplace that respects, values and actively pursues the benefits of a diverse workforce.

We work flexibly at CSIRO, offering a range of options for how, when and where you work. Talk to us about how this role could be flexible for you. Find out more Balance

How to Apply:

Please provide enough information relevant to the selection criteria for this position to enable the assessment panel to determine your suitability, and upload one document containing your CV/resume and cover letter.  

Applications Close: 10:59pm AEDT, 31 October 2018.