Junior Plant Biotech Researcher: Wheat Biofortification

University of California - Davis; Davis (CA); On-site; USD 38,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

University of California - Davis, in the Tian Lab within Plant Sciences, seeks a 50% Junior Specialist starting Fall 2026 for a one-year appointment with possible renewal. The role supports wheat biofortification and tree crop responses to environmental changes, performing molecular analyses, sample prep, and data recording.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, hands-on experience with molecular techniques, and strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree as specified; required at appointment time.
• Proficiency in molecular biology techniques (DNA/RNA extractions, PCR, cloning).
• Experience in research data collection and analysis.
• Proficiency with Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute experiments to enhance wheat nutritional traits and study tree crop responses.
• Analyze CRISPR/Cas9 edited wheat lines and gene expression in crops.
• Grow, care for, and harvest wheat populations in growth chambers and greenhouse.
• Maintain lab notebooks and data files; manage chemical inventory and instrument operation.
• Present results at lab meetings and assist in manuscript preparation.

Skills

Molecular biology techniques

DNA/RNA extraction

PCR

Cloning

Data analysis

Laboratory equipment operation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Plant Sciences, Plant Biology, Genetics, or related field

Tools

CRISPR/Cas9

Real-time qPCR

Job description

University of California - Davis, in the Tian Lab within Plant Sciences, seeks a 50% Junior Specialist starting Fall 2026 for a one-year appointment with possible renewal. The role supports wheat biofortification and tree crop responses to environmental changes, performing molecular analyses, sample prep, and data recording.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, hands-on experience with molecular techniques, and strong communication skills.