The Schenk Lab at Ohio University is looking for a Postdoctoral Researcher to start an NSF Funded project in August 1st 2022. The position will be in person in Athens, Ohio for two years and includes travel support for research and conferences.

Brief Project Overview: Flowers have experienced extraordinary morphological changes through evolutionary time that includes multiple origins of novel, non-fertile structures. Because flowers are a complex network of interconnected parts, they provide an ideal system for studying integrated-trait evolution in response to functional cooption. We are investigating coopted floral structures called staminodes, which are sterile stamens that can perform novel functions, such as nectar production, pollinator attraction, or enhanced pollen dispersal or deposition. Staminodes provide an exceptional opportunity for revealing the evolutionary consequences of functional cooption in an integrated system. The project will study staminodes in Mentzelia (Loasaceae) to answer the question: Is there an evolutionary response to compensate for the loss of reproductive function when a structure is coopted to perform a novel function?

Research tasks: The postdoctoral research associate will be expected to conduct experiments, including genomic library preparation and sequencing, phylogenomics, phylogenetic comparative approaches, morphological characterization of floral traits, floral manipulation experiments with natural pollinators, and field work in the western U.S. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to attend and present work in national and international meetings and publish research results. The postdoctoral research associate will co-mentor undergraduate students and collaborate with a Ph.D. student, research associates, and the PI.

Qualifications: The Postdoctoral Scholar must have earned their Ph.D. in Botany, Biology, or a closely related field before August 2022. Successful candidates are preferred to have research experience in plant evolution, phylogenetic comparative approaches, floral morphology and evolution, and/or pollinator ecology.

Application process: Please submit a cover letter that outlines your previous research experiences, CV, contact information (name, phone number, email, and mailing address) for three professional references, and one publication that best represents your qualifications to https://www.ohiouniversityjobs.com/postings/41476. Applications received by June 5th, 2022 will receive full consideration; however, applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. Please see the above link for additional information about applying and qualifications.

For more information, see:
Schenk Lab website: https://schenklab.weebly.com/
Environmental and Plant Biology at OU: https://www.ohio.edu/cas/plant-biology
Our NSF funding: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2117446
Application link: https://www.ohiouniversityjobs.com/postings/41476

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