Postdoctoral fellowship. Massey University, New Zealand.
Plant Ecological Genetics.
A two year postdoctoral fellowship is available to investigate
whether declines in bird pollinators have exposed two native New
Zealand plants to increased inbreeding and to a cryptic form of
recruitment failure where fruits and seedlings are abundant but fail
to recruit due to high rates of inbreeding depression. The study
organisms will be Fuchsia excorticata (Tree Fuchsia) and Sophora
microphylla (kowhai). For this project, we are combining genetic
markers to measure inbreeding and to score gender in seedlings of the
gynodioecious fuchsia with field studies of pollination ecology. The
successful applicant will have experience with plant reproductive
biology and implementing molecular genetic approaches (PCR, RT-PCR,
and gene sequencing). The candidate should hold a Ph.D. in botany,
genetics, or evolutionary biology. We seek an individual who is
enthusiastic, highly motivated, and willing to work independently as
well as with a team.
This project is a collaboration between Alastair Robertson, Ecology
Group, Institute of Natural Resources
<http://www.massey.ac.nz/~aroberts/welcome.html>http://www.massey.ac.nz/~aroberts/welcome.html
and Jennifer Tate, Institute of Molecular Biosciences,
<http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/departments/institute-molecular-biosciences/staff/tate_jennifer.cfm>http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/departments/institute-molecular-biosciences/staff/tate_jennifer.cfm
at Massey University in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Palmerston
North is a small and friendly university town, which is located two
hours from Wellington, the winery region of Hawke's Bay, and the
volcanic plateau. The position will be jointly based within the
Ecology Group, Institute of Natural Resources and the Institute of
Molecular BioSciences and will take advantage of the facilities
available at Massey, including the Massey Genome Service -
<http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/research/centres-research/genome/massey-genome-service-home.cfm>http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/research/centres-research/genome/massey-genome-service-home.cfm.
The closing date for applications is 31 January 2012. The starting
date is flexible, but must be no later than 1 August 2012. For more
information about this position, please contact Alastair Robertson
(<mailto:a.w.robert...@massey.ac.nz>a.w.robert...@massey.ac.nz). To
apply for this position, please visit
<http://jobs.massey.ac.nz>http://jobs.massey.ac.nz (reference A396-11).