Postdoctoral Fellow, Biofortification - Internationa Rice Research Institute - Philippines

Apply by	12/07/2012
Location	Philippines
Specialization/Skills	Plant Breeding, Genetics and related disciplines
Basic purpose	The successful candidate will help develop elite breeding lines/varieties with high micronutrient contents in the polished rice grains. She/He utilizes molecular marker analysis for candidate gene validation, trait improvement, and facilitate the process of varietal development through confined and multi-location field trials in collaboration with different partner institutions.
Roles and responsibilities	- Conduct association studies and others for the validation of candidate genes identified using different segregating breeding materials, germplasm, and mapping populations using high-throughput genotypic analysis and for selecting lines with high zinc and iron in the rice grain - Transcript analysis of high iron and zinc lines using gene panels of iron and zinc homeostasis genes - Work with the Golden Rice (GR) scientists and breeders in the conduct of the molecular analysis of GR materials at IRRI - Lead the breeding steps for the next generation Golden Rice varietal improvement - Work with the Genetic Transformation Laboratory (GTL) scientists in (a) the biosafety aspect to conduct the confined field trial (CFT) to evaluate high iron lead events (b) managing seed multiplication and transfer for bioavailability trials, (c) the crossing of lead events to other genetic backgrounds and (d) the transcript analysis using an iron and zinc homeostasis-related gene panel for high iron and zinc lines - Work with the HarvestPlus (HP) and GR scientists in the conduct of field trials and assist in the production of the data required to secure appropriate release approvals - Assist in managing and reporting against the HarvestPlus and Golden Rice budgets Qualification Requirements: - PhD in plant breeding, genetics and related disciplines, with experience in use of molecular tools - Experience in rice breeding, genetics and molecular marker applications using high throughput genotypic analysis; knowledge on biosafety regulatory compliance; demonstrated competence in working in a multi-cultural environment; - Good to excellent written and oral communication skills in English Application To apply for this position, please click here