Two postdoctoral positions are available to study plant photosynthetic biology using a combination of biochemistry, molecular physiology, genetics and phenotypic screening approaches starting January 2024 or as soon thereafter as possible.
The successful applicant will work closely with a team within the Plant Productivity Group at the University of Essex. They will join the multi-year, multi-institutional project Realising Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) working with international collaborators across the UK, the USA, and Australia, with the aim to translate increases in photosynthetic efficiency into increased crop yield. The successful candidate(s) will lead on project subobjectives related to increasing RuBP regeneration in target crops, and will work closely with other postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers working on related parts of the project.
The candidate(s) will work with existing GM and GE material to characterise and optimise plant physiology, as well as generate new material. The opportunity will allow the candidate(s) to explore and develop their own research ideas within the context of the project. They will have the opportunity to attend workshops or courses aimed at advancing their existing research as required by ongoing and future research projects, mentor students, present their work at professional meetings, and to participate in the preparation and writing of manuscripts and grants.
The School of Life Sciences is a vibrant academic environment and offers opportunities for attending seminars and interacting with research groups that are interested in environmental ecology, molecular genetics of diseases, and protein structural biology. The research environment is diverse and collaborative, and committed to building an environment of integrity and respect.
An interest in developing research career around photosynthesis is an asset. Candidates should have excellent communication skills, the ability to work both independently and as a productive member of the team
The Plant Productivity Research Group at the University of Essex is one of the longest running whole plant physiology and photosynthesis groups in the UK. The group is housed within the School of Life Sciences, which is a vibrant, research active department with over 50 academic staff, delivering high quality teaching and research over a wide spectrum of biological sciences. The department offers a collaborative, supportive environment, and access to state-of-the-art research equipment and facilities.
Our mission is to apply the new scientific knowledge gained through our research to address societal challenges at local, national and international levels. The emphasis of our research is to identify strategies to increase crop productivity to ensure food security, focusing on photosynthetic productivity and the impact of environmental factors such as light, water, temperature and nutrient availability on crop performance. We have considerable expertise in the investigation of the growth and physiology of plants under both benign and stressful conditions in the laboratory and the field. This is underpinned by a considerable and continual investment in our specialised research fac...ilities. Consequently, we have state-of-the art equipment for our research, including bespoke instrumentation and software designed and built in-house. Our facilities include a plant phenotyping platform that houses a novel dynamic lighting system, combined thermal and chlorophyll fluorescence as well as whole plant gas exchange chambers.
The University of Essex has a thriving, international community, ranking in the top 50 in the world for ‘international outlook’ in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings throughout the last five years. We recognise the value that diversity brings and so we want to recruit, develop, retain and motivate an increasingly diverse workforce. We also want to attract people who will be good citizens; who will contribute to the life of the University and whose behaviour will have a positive impact on those around them.