Postdoctoral Research Position: Microbial Impacts on Hemipteran Pest Behavior and Insecticide Resistance.

Description: A postdoctoral position is available from Adam CN Wong’s lab at University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department in Gainesville, Florida.
The selected candidate will lead a project to investigate the roles of microbes in insect behavior (the southern green stink bug Nezara viridula) and insecticide resistance (the silverleaf whitefly Bemisia tabaci). Key responsibilities include:

• Develop insecticide-resistant whitefly lines in the lab.
• Isolate and identify microbes from the insects.
• Conduct insect behavioral assays using a high-resolution video tracking system.
• Conduct RNAseq experiments on insect samples.

The successful candidate will actively engage with collaborators from the industry and USDA.

Minimum qualifications: PhD in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Genetics, Microbiology, Entomology, Ecology or relevant field. A good command of statistics and English writing.

Preferred qualifications: Candidates with demonstrated experience of RNAseq and other omics analyses are highly desired.

Salary: $47,476 plus fringe benefits

Start date: April 2022 (can be negotiated)

Duration: Two years

Location: This position is based on the main campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Gainesville is a lively college town offering a strong arts and music scene along with plentiful outdoor recreation activities. UF was recently ranked in the top 10 public universities in the U.S., and UF’s Department of Entomology and Nematology was rated best in the world in 2017. Field work will be conducted in the area around Gainesville and will require day trips and possibly infrequent overnight trips.

To apply: please submit a CV and a 1-page cover letter to Dr Adam Wong (adamcnwong@ufl.edu) with the subject line “Postdoc application: insect microbiome”. Please include names and contact information of at least two references familiar with your work.