PhD Graduate Assistant - Fusarium Diagnostics & Seed Testing

The American Phytopathological Society (APS); Orono (ME); On-site; USD 28,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Tuition support

Graduate assistantship

Job summary

The University of Maine, Orono, seeks a graduate student to assemble and characterize a 600–800 isolate collection of Fusarium from U.S. onion and garlic plants.

You will develop a diagnostic assay to distinguish pathogenic from nonpathogenic Fusarium proliferatum strains and establish a high‑throughput bioPCR seed‑testing workflow. You will validate soil tests with spiked soils and analyze data from interlaboratory comparisons of new diagnostic assays.

Qualifications

• MS in a similar field strongly preferred.
• Prior molecular and diagnostic laboratory experience essential.
• Desire to contribute to a collaborative graduate student community.

Responsibilities

• Assemble and characterize a 600–800 Fusarium isolate collection.
• Develop a diagnostic assay to distinguish pathogenic vs nonpathogenic Fusarium proliferatum.
• Establish a high-throughput bioPCR-based seed testing assay for F. proliferatum.
• Validate soil testing methods with spiked soils to assess prediction reliability.
• Organize and analyze data from interlaboratory comparisons of diagnostic assays.

Skills

Molecular biology

Communication

Collaborative work

Education

MS in a related field

Tools

Molecular diagnostics lab

Job description

The University of Maine, Orono, seeks a graduate student to assemble and characterize a 600–800 isolate collection of Fusarium from U.S. onion and garlic plants.

You will develop a diagnostic assay to distinguish pathogenic from nonpathogenic Fusarium proliferatum strains and establish a high‑throughput bioPCR seed‑testing workflow. You will validate soil tests with spiked soils and analyze data from interlaboratory comparisons of new diagnostic assays.