Junior Specialist/Grettenberger Lab

Junior Specialist Position Description in the Grettenberger Lab

Department of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis

NATURE AND PURPOSE

The position of Specialist has a narrow focus in a specialized area and provides technical or specialized expertise (e.g., with instrumentation and research equipment or with social science research methods) in the planning and execution of a research project. The Specialist stays apprised of emerging issues and problems and maintains technical competence in the designated area(s) of specialization. Within this defined area and when appropriate, the Specialist is expected to provide mentorship, facilitate teamwork and develop collaborative relationships with colleagues and to supply input into the planning of research and educational programs. Normally, Specialists do not have Principal Investigator (PI) status but may obtain permission by exception and/or collaborate with a PI in preparing research proposals for extramural funding. The Specialist is evaluated for merit and promotion using three basic criteria outlined below.

Overview:

We aim to hire a Junior Specialist, Step 1 to conduct research in arthropod integrated pest management and insect ecology. The Junior Specialist will help on a number of projects related to pest management in field and vegetable crops. This includes, but is not limited to, studies in rice, cole crops, and cotton. Projects will be examining insecticide resistance levels and alternative management strategies for diamondback moth, efficacy of registered and experimental insecticides in cotton, biological control in lettuce for thrips and aphid management, and management of rice seed midge in rice. The Junior Specialist will assist with studies examining pest management strategies for other pests addressed by the lab's research and extension program as appropriate. Primary duties will involve executing lab experiments, maintaining colonies of insects, setting up and deploying field trials, sampling and identifying insects, managing data, and summarizing and presenting results.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIGNATED AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Research (80%): The incumbent of this position will be actively and significantly involved in publishable research activities through the following roles and duties:

* Assist with field sampling of diamondback moth populations for insecticide resistance studies and parasitoid surveys. Assist with deployment of mating disruption trials for diamondback moth and collection of field samples.

* Assist with greenhouse maintenance of diamondback moth populations and conducting lab assays to quantify insecticide resistance.

* Participate in laying out research plots for lettuce IPM field trials and sampling insects from these plots.

* Assist with field trials examining insecticide efficacy in cotton, which will include sprayer setup and calibration, assisting with applications, sampling arthropods from the plots, and processing insect populations.

* Assist the PI and other lab members with greenhouse studies.

* Help organize and maintain protocols, field records, and data.

* Assist the PI or other lab members in manuscript preparation, including but not limited to: reading academic literature, writing manuscript sections, and revising manuscripts based on conducted work.

Professional competence (15%):

* The incumbent will present research, with possibilities at extension meetings, regional entomology meetings, or national entomology meetings. The incumbent will deliver presentations in poster and/or oral formats.

* The incumbent will be encouraged to participate in/attend weekly lab meetings weekly meetings of the Insect Ecology group within the Department of Entomology and Nematology, weekly seminars in the Department of Entomology.

* The incumbent will be encouraged to participate in relevant extension events.

* The incumbent will be encouraged to have membership with the Entomological Society of America

University and Public Service (5%):

* As a component of university service, the incumbent will also be asked to serve on one or more department committees, such as the Department Safety Committee or the Facilities Committee.

* As a public service, the incumbent will also be encouraged to participate in outreach activities, such as those held as part of events hosted by the Bohart Museum of Entomology, the Department of Entomology and Nematology, or conducted independently by the Grettenberger lab. This could include various events aimed to promote integrated pest management among California stakeholders .

Department: https://entomology.ucdavis.edu/

This position requires a minimum of a Bachelor of Science or equivalent degree (Biology, Entomology, Ecology, or similar field).

NOTE: The junior specialist rank is an entry level position; accordingly, it is inappropriate to hire applicants with advanced degrees in this field, or those with BS degrees and three years' relevant work experience.

Must possess a valid driver's license.

The ideal candidate will have the ability to work well independently and as part of a team. They will also have strong interpersonal, communication, organizational, and decision-making skills.

Other preferred, but not required, qualifications are:

* Experience rearing and optimizing rearing of insects

* Experience with greenhouse and/or growth chamber plant/insect studies

* Experience with insect identification

* Experience conducting field research, research in agricultural systems, and sampling insect populations

* Experience inputting and managing data, including the use of Excel, R, or similar

* Willing and capable of driving to and working in outdoor, sometimes distant, agricultural locations in hot weather. Overnight travel and long travel days associated with research may occasionally be required .

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
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