Postdoctoral Research Associate

Job Title
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Agency
Texas A&M Agrilife Research
Department
Uvalde
Proposed Minimum Salary
Commensurate
Job Location
Uvalde, Texas
Job Type
Staff
Job Description
Applicants should submit (1) a cover letter, (2) detailed curriculum vitae stating education, experience and qualifications, (3) and a list of three references with contact information as attachments to the completed application. Attachments can be uploaded as one document or multiple attachments can be included.
The Postdoctoral Research Associate will support research in the Vegetable Breeding Program at Uvalde, which is focused on studying genomics, tissue culture, and breeding of cultivars for vegetable crops and will assist Dr. Subas Malla in managing the logistics, reporting, communication, outreach, organization, and budget oversight for the 4-year USDA NIFA SCRI onion project.
Job Duties:

• Plan and managing research trials for the USDA NIFA SCRI onion project
• Manage and direct all administrative functions for the 4-year USDA NIFA SCRI onion project
• Serve as the point of contact and liaison for other university offices, colleges, and other agencies involved in subcontracts with Texas A&M University System
• Coordinate and facilitate quarterly meetings with the USDA NIFA SCRI onion project team
• Coordinate one in-person meeting per year with team, Stakeholder Advisory Panel (SAP) and Stakeholders at a conference such as the National Onion Association or National Allium Research Conference meetings
• Provide administrative support for all grant project faculty, staff and administrators involved in the USDA NIFA SCRI onion project
• Assemble project plans and teamwork assignments in collaboration with PD and co-PIs on the SCRI project to monitor work efforts, identify resource needs, assess work quality, and troubleshoot issues accordingly
• Monitor and report progress as appropriate
• Develop workflows and models to standardize and improve outputs, e.g., workflow diagrams, policies and procedures, timelines, and reporting
• Create, track, and manage timelines and related tasks to ensure effective implementation of the SCRI project goals and objectives
• Assist PI and co-PIs to ensure projects are delivered on-time, within scope, and within budget
• Attract and assist in grants and contracts to support the Vegetable Breeding program in Uvalde
• Publish work in peer-reviewed journals
• Mentor graduate students in research and training
• Other duties as assigned

Required Education and Experience:

• Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Entomology or Agronomy.

Required Experience:

• Two years of related professional experience in plant breeding and supervisory experience.
• Ability to work individually and by interacting with diverse internal and external teams

Required Knowledge, Abilities and Skills:

• Understanding of the genetics and breeding principles of open-pollinated vegetable crops
• Proficiency in data management and the use of office software such as spreadsheets, and word processing
• Strong organizational skills, excellent communication skills, and report-writing skills.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships, within the agency, the university, outside universities, and other organizations and stakeholders involved in the USDA NIFA SCRI onion project
• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Location:
Uvalde is a community of 16,000 people located in the Wintergarden region of southwest Texas, about an hour and a half from San Antonio. Much of the surrounding land is used for irrigated agriculture, although the Hill Country lies just to the north with plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. The Center has about 150 acres of land for crop research/production and houses a staff of more than 50 people with active research programs in agronomy, horticulture, breeding and genetics, plant biochemistry, plant physiology, plant pathology and wildlife disease ecology.
For additional information contact Dr. Subas Malla, Associate Professor by email at subas.malla@ag.tamu.edu or by phone at 830-988-6139. All inquiries are confidential.
All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution's verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution's procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.