Research Scientist I

State of South Carolina; South Carolina; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Center of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics (CPBGG) at the State of South Carolina invites applications for a senior research role focusing on plant breeding, genomics, and disease resistance genetics. You will design and lead multidisciplinary projects across field, greenhouse, and lab environments.

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in genetics or related field, have strong data analytics skills, and be prepared to travel for field trials and collaborations within the state and beyond.

Qualifications

• PhD required in genetics or related field.
• Strong data handling, statistics, and experimental design skills.
• Ability to lead independent, multidisciplinary research.

Responsibilities

• Conduct independent multidisciplinary research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, phenomics, and disease resistance genetics.
• Develop competitive research programs integrating field phenotyping, genomics, and validation of discoveries.
• Design and manage complex experiments across diverse environments with strong data management.
• Establish genetics and genomics laboratory including genotyping, sequencing, and bioinformatics.
• Publish findings, secure external funding, mentor students and staff, collaborate.

Education

Ph.D. in Genetics, Genomics, Plant Breeding, Statistical Genetics, or a related field

Job description

Be a part of our story. Through learning partnerships that extend knowledge and change lives, the Center of Plant Breeding, Genetics, and Genomics (CPBGG) initiates and implements research aimed at increased productivity, making life better, healthier, safer, and more profitable for individuals and their communities.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct independent and multidisciplinary research in plant breeding, genetics, genomics, phenomics, and disease resistance genetics under the supervision of the CPBGG Director.
• Develop competitive research programs integrating field phenotyping, genomics, genome-wide prediction, and field validation of genomic discoveries to address regional breeding priorities.
• Design, manage, and analyze complex field, greenhouse, and laboratory experiments across diverse agroecological environments, with strong skills in data handling, data management, and statistical analysis.
• Establish and manage the CPBGG genetics and genomics laboratory, including genotyping, sequencing, and bioinformatics analyses.
• Publish research findings, secure external funding, mentor students and staff, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Genetics, Genomics, Plant Breeding, Statistical Genetics, or a related field-Required
• Minimum of two years of postdoctoral experience in genome-wide prediction, advanced breeding, and plant disease resistance genetics.
• Ability to work independently with problem-solving and innovation skills.
• Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple research projects.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across diverse teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to work regularly in field, greenhouse, and laboratory environments.
• Experience with next-generation sequencing technologies.
• Experience and commitment towards the field work in plant breeding experiments/ in diverse agroecological conditions and manage complex field experiments.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally for research and professional activities. frequent travel to on-farm and trial locations across the state

Salary Commensurate with Experience.