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Join the Yoder Lab for postdoctoral research

Joshua trees in flower at Saddleback Butte State Park, California

The Yoder Lab at California State University Northridge is hiring a Postdoctoral Scholar to contribute to ongoing NSF-funded research examining Joshua tree’s adaptation to desert climates and coevolution with specialized pollinators, as part of the Joshua Tree Genome Project.

The Postdoctoral Scholar will work with PI Jeremy Yoder to develop analysis of recently collected whole-genome sequence data for a “genomic inventory” of 300 Joshua trees, and integrate this with data collected from Joshua tree seedlings grown in common garden experiments. They will also help with fieldwork in the common gardens and across the Mojave, and contribute to managing the Yoder Lab’s small group of graduate and undergraduate student researchers. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the position is understood to be one for professional development — the scholar will work with the PI to develop project ideas, identify opportunities for training or experience, write proposals for external funding and fellowships, and pursue permanent positions in academia, government, or industry.

The Yoder Lab is part of the Department of Biology at California State University Northridge, in greater Los Angeles, California, geographically convenient for professional networking and scientific interactions with six other CSU campuses, three University of California campuses, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, and the California Botanic Garden. Through the Joshua Tree Genome Project, the Postdoctoral Scholar will interact with collaborators at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon; the US Geological Survey; the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa; the University of Alabama, Birmingham; and the Carnegie Institution for Science.

The position is funded for two years, and may continue longer pending additional grant or fellowship support. The annual salary will start at $62,400, with benefits as an employee of The University Corporation, the nonprofit entity that manages grants funding for CSUN.

Qualified applicants will have interest and expertise in evolution, ecology, and ecological genomics, and should have either completed a Ph.D. in a relevant field or anticipate completion before their proposed start date. Experience working with genomic data, managing data-intensive projects, and fluency in the Unix command line and the R statistical programming environment are desirable as well. The Yoder Lab welcomes all aspects of human diversity, and candidates whose identities are underrepresented in evolution and ecology are particularly encouraged to apply.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but to ensure consideration they must be received by March 28. The start date is flexible, and “remote start” options will be considered.

Applicants with questions about the lab, the department, the project, or any other aspect of the position are encouraged to contact the PI.

To apply, follow instructions on the CSUN Human Resources posting for the position, at https://careers.pageuppeople.com/873/nr/en-us/job/512082/postdoctoral-scholar-tuc-biology