Seasonal Ecology Research Field/Lab Tech

Monday-Friday, varying from 7:00AM - 3:00PM to 9:00AM - 5:00PM

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The Department of Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill is dedicated to the discovery and dissemination of new and existing knowledge in the broad discipline of Biology by maintaining a high-quality faculty who integrate cutting-edge research and student-focused teaching.
We are one of the largest academic departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. We have over 2,800 majors and we enroll over 5,000 undergraduate students in our classes each year. Our average total annual expenditures exceed $24 million, with nearly half of that coming from grant sponsored research. The department is composed of 50 tenure-track faculty, 10 teaching faculty, 8 research faculty, and numerous active adjunct and emeritus faculty. We currently have 50 graduate students, 40 post-docs and employ approximately 60 additional graduate and undergraduate students from across the university to assist in our teaching and research missions. Our mission is supported by an administrative and technical staff of 20, with an additional 25 staff directly supporting research.

Assist with research on plant disease ecology in field and lab settings. The research technician will work on a grant-funded project examining how seasonal epidemics of infectious diseases are influenced by both climatic variables and ecological interactions among microbial species. Specific duties include extensive vegetation surveys of foliar fungal pathogens, management of data collected from surveys, collection of plant and fungal samples from the field, culturing and archiving of fungal pathogens from infected plant material, working on greenhouse inoculation protocols, extracting DNA from cultured fungal samples, and assisting other lab members with additional projects. The research technician should be able to 1) work independently under minimal supervision and with other team members, 2) work accurately and efficiently, and 3) maintain exceptional communication skills with the research team over the course of daily activities.

Demonstrated possession of the competencies necessary to perform the work.

Familiarity with general research procedures. The capacity to communicate and work well with others as a team is also essential. Employees must be able to secure transportation to an off-campus field site (Duke Forest) on a daily basis, in addition to working at the on-campus lab when necessary. Previous experience working with plant diseases is not required - training on identification of foliar pathogens and particular methods in the study system will be provided.

Bachelor's degree or some educational experience in a relevant field, including ecology, biology, and environmental science. Experience conducting ecological research, especially in the field. Demonstrated experience working in outdoor conditions for extended periods of time is a plus.

Capacity to conduct outdoor field work during the daytime hours of summer, involving long periods of time spent kneeling into tall vegetation for surveys with or without reasonable accommodation. Work is expected to be continued through periods of inclement weather (i.e. rain) that does not pose a health risk with or without reasonable accommodation.

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Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, race, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or status as a protected veteran.