Research Scientist

Overview

The Research scientist position in applied plant science is responsible for testing and evaluating the plant responses to the biostimulant effluent from patented aqueous vermi reactors at IntagBio. This includes both laboratory and field trials within the company and with third party contractors. The position will also include determining import factors in effluent performance including assessment of primary plant nutrients and other secondary metabolites.

Duties

• Design and conduct research and provide scientific expertise to support key discovery initiatives and lead initiatives;
• Handling fish and cow waste for use in Vermireactors.
• Determining properties for fish and cow waste for use in vermireactors.
• Assist team members with analytical equipment, sample analysis and other required experimentations.
• Provide analysis and feedback about experimental results to project teams, highlighting important results and defining next step experiments;
• Conduct literature and patent search on project related topics;
• Design, develop and implement in-vitro assays to study the interaction of varying mixes of organic compounds com on physio-chemical and biological properties in relation to plant nutrition;
• Design, develop and implement in-vitro assays to study the interaction of beneficial microbes and microbial communities on physio-chemical and biological properties in relation to plant nutrition;
• Work in a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary team.
• Maintain good working relationship with team members;
• Create oral and written reports/presentations on statistically valid data from assays to enable appropriate decisions based on scientific results;
• Develop training and instructional material for customers as required;
• Write applications for funding programs and grants;
• Primary person responsible for plant health, crop planning and Integrated Pest Management programs.
• Other duties as assigned.

Experience

• Must have 5+ years experience in plant microbiology and plant biochemistry.
• Must have 2 years experience with worm based bioreactors and earthworm rearing programs.
• Must have at least 2 years experience in remediation of fish waste
• Must have at least 2 years experience in composting of animal manures
• Have at least 2 years experience in education and training.
• Must have experience growing microgreens inside controlled environment facilities
• Must have experience conducting greenhouse and field tests with farmers
• Must have 5 years experience mentoring technicians and students.

Qualifications:

• PhD in microbiology is required, MSc in biotechnology.
• Technical training in qPCR molecular diagnostics
• Technical training in MS based Proteomics

Key Skills Required

• Protein isolation, enzyme activity assays.
• Setting greenhouse, growth chamber and field trials, sample collection, plant growth, and developmental analysis.
• Phytopathogen handling (ie fusarium), isolation, inoculation, storage, sporulation, and performing in vitro fungicide sensitivity assay.
• Microbial interaction-Identification of mycorrhizal fungi and culturing, fungal-fungal interaction studies.
• Operation of fish waste and bovine waste-based reactors including conducting nutrient analysis, evaluating efficacy (ie through plant trials).
• Monitoring earthworm health and management.
• Micropropagation, callus culture, media, and methodology standardization.
• NGS data analysis, transcriptome, proteome, and genome analysis; manual primer designing; BLAST; Gene Ontology (GO); KEGG pathway analysis; ENSEMBL database; metaboanalyst,and GenBank submission.
• Strong statistical skills and experience with SPSS and NTSys software systems.
• Mentoring technicians and students.

If you are passionate about scientific discovery and eager to make an impact through your research, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: $77,500.00 per year

Application question(s):

• Do you have experience growing inside a controlled environment, conducting greenhouse and field tests, and remediation of waste?

Experience:

• Composting: 2 years (required)
• plant microbiology and plant biochemistry: 5 years (required)

Work Location: In person