Main Purpose of the Job

An opportunity has arisen for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the group of Professor Steven Penfield, working to understand how parental genotypes influence the effect of temperature on seed dormancy and germination.

The successful post holder will use the latest molecular biology and genomics techniques to understand how parental temperature sensing takes place and how the signal affects dormancy and germination of progeny seeds,

Key Relationships

Internal: Line manager, group members and, as necessary, other researchers, research support staff and students across the Institute. External: Collaborators

Main Activities & Responsibilities

Percentage

Identify, plan, carry out and modify experiments to meet the objectives of the project

75

Prepare results, reports and manuscripts for publication in leading scientific journals and other relevant media

5

Disseminate research findings through presentations to various audiences at internal, national and international meetings

5

Collaborate with colleagues within the Institute in the development of original and world-class research, including contributing to research proposals and grant applications

5

Ensure research and record keeping is carried out in accordance with good practice, Scientific Integrity and in compliance with local policies and any legal requirements

5

Contribute to the smooth running of the group, including the effective use of resources, supervision of visitors to the laboratory and assisting with training others, encouraging scientific excellence

5

As agreed with the line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the post, for example, contributing to the work of Institute committees

Education & Qualifications

Requirement

Importance

PhD (full award or expected within 6 months) or equivalent in plant Molecular Biology

Essential

BSc or equivalent in Biological Sciences

Essential

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

Requirement

Importance

Strong understanding of plant reproductive development

Essential

Understanding of seed biology

Essential

Relevant Experience

Requirement

Importance

Able to align short read sequence data to reference genomes

Essential

Strong publication record, commensurate with experience

Essential

Experience in next generation sequencing approaches to gene function analysis

Essential

Experience working with Arabidopsis

Essential

Experience of molecular biology techniques applied to small tissue samples

Essential

Experience with confocal microscopy or fluorescent stereomicroscopy

Desirable

Experience in Chromatin immunoPrecipitation

Desirable

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

Requirement

Importance

Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to present complex information with clarity

Essential

Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to work as part of a team

Essential

Demonstrated ability to work independently, using initiative and applying problem solving skills

Essential

Ability to follow instructions/Standard Operating Procedures

Essential

Additional Requirements

Requirement

Importance

Promotes equality and values diversity

Essential

Willingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to work

Essential

Able to present a positive image of self and the Institute, promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the Institute

Essential

Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate

Essential

Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required

Essential

Ability to undertake occasional travel (national and international) related to collaborations and/or seminars

Essential

Attention to detail

Essential

John Innes Centre

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial genetics, carrying out fundamental and strategic research, to train scientists and making our findings available to society.

Our research makes use of a wide range of disciplines in the biological and chemical sciences including; cell biology, biochemistry, chemistry, genetics and molecular biology.

For more information about working at the John Innes Centre, please click here.

We pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive working environment for all. We have a diverse and multicultural scientific community and thrive on our European and international links, appointing staff from across the world. Any candidate who would like further information on current or anticipated immigration requirements can contact the HR Team on +44 (0)1603 450888 or nbi.recruitment@nbi.ac.uk.

We are proud to hold a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award, recognising the impact of our work in promoting gender equality in science. We are also a proud member of the Stonewall Diversity Champion’s programme, a founding signatory of the Tecnician Commitment and, as a Disability Confident employer, guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852), limited by guarantee (registered in England No. 511709).

Department

Crop Genetics

The Department of Crop Genetics undertakes fundamental research on the biology of cereals, brassicas and legumes to understand the genetic and molecular basis of phenotypic variation. A major goal is to develop the technologies and knowledge base to provide a predictive framework that will underpin conventional and novel plant breeding strategies. This will enable high-yielding, stress and disease resistant varieties, with a particular end-use quality, suitable for an efficient but benign agriculture.

Group Details

The Penfield Group uses plant genetics, genomics, molecular and cell biology to understand how plant reproductive development responds to variation in environmental temperature. We work with the model species Arabidopsis and Brassica crops to understand how weather and climate variation affect reproductive development crop yield and quality. We have a particular focus on the role of parent plants in environmental sensing and influence progeny seed development and behaviour, such as seed yield, dormancy and germination.
 

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Postdoctoral Researcher
Salary:            £36,720 to £44,500 per annum depending on qualifications and experience
Contract:        24 months, full-time
Location:        John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
Closing date: 15 October 2024
Reference:     1004770

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Postdoctoral Researcher to join the Penfield Group at the John Innes Centre, working on cutting-edge science in the field of Plant Reproductive Development.  

About the John Innes Centre:

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial sciences. We nurture a creative, curiosity-led approach to answering fundamental questions in bioscience, and translate that knowledge into societal benefits. Our strategic vision, Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet, sets out our ambitious long-term goals for the game changing impact of our science globally. 

Our employees enjoy access to state-of-the-art technology and a diverse range of specialist training opportunities, including support for leadership and management. Click here to find out more about working at the John Innes Centre.

About the Penfield Group:

The Penfield Group uses plant genetics, genomics, molecular and cell biology to understand how plant reproductive development responds to variation in environmental temperature. We work with the model species Arabidopsis and Brassica crops to understand how weather and climate variation affect reproductive development crop yield and quality. We have a particular focus on the role of parent plants in environmental sensing and influence progeny seed development and behaviour, such as seed yield, dormancy and germination.

The role:

An opportunity has arisen for a postdoctoral researcher to join the group of Professor Steven Penfield, working to understand how parental genotypes influence the effect of temperature on seed dormancy and germination.

The successful post holder will use the latest molecular biology and genomics techniques to understand how parental influences on the physiology of the embryo-surrounding tissues affect seed behaviour.

The ideal candidate:

Candidates should have a PhD (full award or expected within 6 months) in plant molecular biology, with previous experience working in epigenetics and next generation sequencing approaches to gene function analysis.

Candidates should also have a strong understanding of plant reproductive development or epigenetics and a strong publication record, commensurate with experience.

Informal enquiries are welcome to Steven.penfield@jic.ac.uk.

The post is available for 2 years in the first instance with the possibility of further extension.

Additional information:

We are an equal opportunities employer, actively supporting inclusivity and diversity.  As a Disability Confident organisation, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. We are proud to hold a prestigious Gold Athena SWAN award in recognition of our inclusive culture, commitment and good practices towards advancing of gender equality. We offer an exciting, stimulating, diverse research environment and actively promote a family friendly workplace. The Institute is also a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852) grant-aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.