PhD Position - Plant Sciences / Transcriptome Analyses

Your Job:

Field crops (zucchini, squash or pickling cucumbers) are highly exposed to the influence of climate change. The associated extreme temperatures and also drought can negatively affect the yield and also the quality of the fruits. In an interdisciplinary research network, you will investigate the drought tolerance of zucchini cultivars and the influence of drought stress on gene expression, with a particular focus on biosynthetic pathways of secondary plant constituents that can affect both fruit flavor and quality.
Your tasks include in detail:

• Application of controlled stress treatments, phenotyping of stress responses with different sensors and gene expression studies in real time PCR as well as RNA sequencing and transcriptome analyses with corresponding bioinformatic evaluations
  
• Documentation of your work as well as analysis and interpretation of the obtained measured values in a scientific context
  
• Presenting the results of your work at project meetings and national and international conferences and publish them in scientific journals
  
• Finally, you will summarize the results obtained and publications on your doctoral thesis

Your Profile:

• A scientific university degree in the field of biology, horticulture, agriculture, or similar, completed with an overall grade of at least "good" or equivalent
  
• Knowledge and experience in growing plants on substrate as well as under drought stress
  
• Knowledge and experience in phenotyping of plants
  
• Practical experience in working with RNA (RNA extraction, RT-PCR, RNA sequencing)
  
• Experience in scripting in a scientific programming language, e. g., R or Python
  
• High degree of independence, willingness to work with great commitment
  
• Very reliable and conscientious work style
  
• Good communication skills to interact with colleagues and project partners
  
• Distinct ability to work in a team as well as the ability to cooperate with others

Our Offer:

We work on highly socially relevant issues and offer the opportunity to actively shape change! We offer optimal conditions for your successful doctorate:

• A highly motivated working group as well as an international and interdisciplinary working environment in one of the largest research institutions in Europe
  
• Excellent scientific and technical infrastructure
  
• Opportunity to participate in (international) conferences and project meetings
  
• Continuous professional support from your scientific supervisor
  
• A structured doctoral program for you and your supervisors with a comprehensive range of continuing education and networking opportunities via the JuDocs doctoral platform (https://www.fz-juelich.de/judocs)
  
• Further development of your personal strengths, e. g. through an extensive range of training courses; a structured program of continuing education and networking opportunities specifically for doctoral researchers via JuDocS, the Jülich Center for Doctoral Researchers and Supervisors: https://www.fz-juelich.de/en/judocs
  
• Targeted services for international employees, e. g. through our International Advisory Service
  

The position is for a fixed term of 3 years. Pay in line with 65% of pay group 13 of the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD-Bund) and additionally 60 % of a monthly salary as special payment („Christmas bonus“). Further information on doctoral degrees at Forschungszentrum Jülich including our other locations is available at: https://www.fz-juelich.de/gp/Careers_Docs

We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds, e. g. in terms of age, gender, disability, sexual orientation / identity, and social, ethnic and religious origin. A diverse and inclusive working environment with equal opportunities in which everyone can realize their potential is important to us.