Research Assistant/Research Associate (Fixed Term)

The post-doctoral research assistant/associate will join the Kromdijk lab at the Department of Plant Sciences to work on chilling tolerance in maize. Maize is a global food, feedstock and bioenergy crop with a world-wide production volume of 1.09 billion metric tons. Maize was domesticated by ancient farmers in Mexico approximately 9000 years ago and is one of the most susceptible crops to chilling-induced photoinhibition amongst those grown in temperate regions. As a result, maize yields at higher latitudes are limited by a relatively short growing season and maize is sensitive to yield losses due to early and late season cold snaps and poor early season establishment of sufficient leaf area to efficiently capture light and compete with weeds.

Maize operates the C4 carbon concentrating mechanism, which separates carbon acquisition and assimilation between two distinct cell types. While C4 photosynthesis in maize is clearly chilling-sensitive, one long-standing question is how the two photosynthetic cell types (bundle sheath and mesophyll) differ in their responses. To address this question, the postdoctoral researcher will focus on characterising transcriptome responses to chilling, specifically in mesophyll and bundle sheath cells. To do so, the position will focus on testing a set of novel transgenic maize lines carrying TRAPseq and INTACT constructs to probe transcriptomes from these two cell types and using the most promising lines in controlled chilling experiments.

As noted in the advertisement, this vacancy is being studied as part of the Action Research on Research Culture project (ARRC) (www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/research/research-projects/research-culture). 

You need to submit both a Narrative CV and your standard CV, [and any other documents requested] to apply for this post, regardless of your decision to take part in the study.

You should use the Narrative CV template available in Word format from the template attached to this job advertisement and available from: www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Narrative-CV-Template-Resume-for-Research.docx

Following the template, your Narrative CV should be structured around these four subheadings:

MODULE 1 - How have you contributed to the generation of knowledge?

MODULE 2 - How have you contributed to the development of individuals?

MODULE 3 - How have you contributed to the wider research community?

MODULE 4 - How have you contributed to broader society?

Both your Narrative CV and standard CV will be used together to make shortlisting decisions, so do not worry if the Narrative CV format is unfamiliar to you. Your choice of whether to participate in the study will not affect your chance of being appointed: no one involved in the decision making will be told who has agreed to participate until the hiring decision has been made.

If you consent to take part in the study the ARRC team will use information from the shortlisting process to understand the impact of CV format. Full details on the study can be found in the ARRC participant information sheet [included as a separate file uploaded to this job ad]. The ARRC team will contact you by email to ask if you are willing to participate in the ARRC study. If you have questions about participation in the ARRC project, please contact: arrcproject@admin.cam.ac.uk

Please notice that if you have not received any news from us 1 month after the closing date you should consider that on this occasion your application has not been successful.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

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