POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

RESEARCH SCHOLAR (NON-TENURE TRACK)

Sweetpotato and Potato Breeding and Genetics Program

Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7609

Appointment and Salary: This is a 12-month full-time position for one year with annual renewal contingent upon performance and funding. Salary is commensurate with experience, health insurance and retirement benefits provided.

Deadline for Applications/ Start Date: November 1, 2019, or until a suitable candidate is identified.

Position Overview: The Sweetpotato and Potato Breeding and Genetics Programs at NC State University are dedicated to serving the needs of sweetpotato and potato farmers in NC, the US, and internationally. We collaborate with the global scientific research community and industry members, and our work is widely recognized. Our project's goals are to: 1) develop improved conventional, processing, ornamental and industrial sweetpotato and potato varieties; 2) conduct genomic and phenomic research to facilitate sweetpotato and potato breeding efforts; 3) conduct research to broaden the germplasm base of these important staple crops; and 4) provide advanced training for national and international students, visiting scientists, and policy makers interested in these essential crops. Ultimately, we expect that our varieties, and those developed by our global partners, will provide nutritional and economic benefits to consumers locally and worldwide.

We are seeking a highly motivated, organized and independent individual familiar with modern breeding methods to advance our research. The candidate selected for this position will report to the leader of the Sweetpotato and Potato Breeding and Genetics Programs, and you will coordinate and assist with the leadership of three projects focused on the development of improved sweetpotatoes for both local and global consumers. We seek an excellent communicator who is capable of coordinating multidisciplinary projects and is an efficient multitasker. Our team consists of academic, industry and international colleagues working in breeding and molecular genetics, bioinformatics, cultural management, food science, and postharvest physiology.

Qualifications: Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Genetics or related field with at least three years of experience. The successful candidate must have a strong desire to work in an active cultivar development program focused on integrating traditional, genomic and phenomic approaches to sweetpotato and potato germplasm improvement and variety development. Significant project management, database utilization, and practical breeding experiences, coupled with genomic-assisted breeding methods, are highly desirable.

Major Responsibilities: Specific responsibilities will include: coordinating and conducting genomic-assisted sweetpotato breeding activities; working collaboratively with local and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) team members to design and execute conventional and genomic selection breeding experiments; assisting with the development of an electronic data capture and database system to facilitate sweetpotato improvement; collaborating with ongoing cultural management studies; collaborating with food scientists to correlate storage root constituents quantified via GC-MS, HPLC-MS and NIRS modeling with culinary qualities; collecting, analyzing and presenting data; completing reports and preparing grant proposals; networking with domestic and international partners; training students; and publishing results in peer-reviewed and trade journals.

Physical Demands: Applied plant breeding can be physically demanding. Longer hours may be necessary during growing season with significant amounts of time spent in the field at the experiment station and on-farm field sites. Ability to work with field equipment and lift over 50 lbs. will occasionally be required. Occasional national and international travel, primarily to SSA, will be required.

Application: Apply online at http://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/123204. Please include a cover letter detailing your experiences and qualifications, resume, and names and contact information for three references. For more information contact: Dr. Craig Yencho, Department of Horticultural Science, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, Email: craig_yencho@ncsu.edu, Phone (919) 513-7417.

Work Location: The work base is located on-campus, Monday-Friday, 40 hours/week. Occasional overnight travel will be necessary.

Necessary Licenses or Certifications: Driver license needed. No other special licenses or certifications needed.