Postdoctoral Fellowship – Circadian clock regulation of plant immunity

A/Prof. Robert Ingle, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town

Purpose
Applications are invited for an NRF grantholder-linked Postdoctoral Fellowship to use previously generated next-generation sequencing data to identify the transcription factors responsible for the temporal variation in susceptibility of Arabidopsis thaliana to bacterial and fungal pathogens. The fellow will also generate and characterise plants with altered expression levels of these candidate genes, and carry out metabolite profiling of plant hormone levels by mass spectrometry.

Academic criteria
The successful applicant will have completed or submitted for examination their PhD in plant molecular biology and must demonstrate previous experience in the following areas:

• Analysis of Arabidopsis transcriptomic data
• Characterisation of Arabidopsis T-DNA insertion lines
• Generation of over-expression lines using Gateway cloning technology
• Analysis of metabolite quantification data generated by mass spectrometry

How to apply
Candidates are required to submit the following information by email to A/Prof Robert Ingle (robert.ingle@uct.ac.za):

• A short CV (no more than four pages)
• Copies of academic transcripts 
• A cover letter addressing the criteria for the post 
• Contact details for two referees

Selection process
Applications will close on 23 November 2019. Eligible and complete applications received by this time will be considered by A/Prof Ingle.

Value and tenure
The duration of this fellowship is 12 months (Jan-Dec 2020) and the value is R 220 000.00

General conditions of the award 

• No benefits or allowances are included in the fellowship 
• The successful applicant will be required to comply with the university’s approved policies, procedures and practises for the postdoctoral sector 
• Postdoctoral research fellowships are only available to individuals who have achieved the doctoral degree within the past 5 years 
• Applicants may not previously have held full-time permanent professional or academic posts

The University of Cape Town reserves the right to disqualify ineligible, incomplete and/or inappropriate applications, change the conditions of award or to make no awards at all.