Positions available for a Research Technician and Graduate Students- University of Kentucky

[ABS CO Staff]

Clare Rittschof’s new laboratory at the University of Kentucky (Department of Entomology) has positions available for a research technician and graduate students. The lab is broadly interested in the evolutionary consequences and mechanistic basis of behavioral plasticity. How exactly experiences take root in an organism and cause lasting behavioral change is a rich and intriguing area for integrative and comparative research. Research currently focuses on 1) how individuals perceive and respond to environmental variation 2) the mechanisms by which the environment “gets under the skin”, and 3) the evolution of behavioral strategies, including social behavior. Please see clarerittschof.blogspot.com for more details. Current research projects are focused on honey bees.

 

Research Technician:

 

This position offers the opportunity to participate in or manage an interesting variety of lab-based and field-based projects. Primary responsibilities include day-to-day lab management, assisting graduate students with research projects, maintaining lab equipment, ordering supplies, managing undergraduate students, and implementing and trouble-shooting molecular protocols (e.g., RNA extraction, qPCR, RNAseq library preparation, enzyme activity assays). Candidates will be expected to carry out research projects independently and as part of a team. 

 

Salary will be commensurate with degree level and experience. Minimum qualifications include a bachelor’s degree in biology or a related field, and at least some experience in molecular biology. Experience working with insects or honey bees is desirable but not essential. 

 

This is a full time position with a minimum commitment of 1 year. The earliest anticipated start date is January 15, 2016. If you are interested in applying for this position, please contact Clare Rittschof (clare.r...@gmail.com). 

 

Graduate positions:

 

Both master's and Ph.D. positions are available starting in 2016. Students can participate in on-going projects, but are also welcome and encouraged to develop projects broadly related to the lab’s research themes, either using honey bees or other arthropod species. Students have the opportunity to receive integrative training in diverse research areas, including behavioral ecology, neurobiology, genomics, and bioinformatics. 

 

On-going projects in the lab:

·      How does a shift in brain energy metabolism affect neural structure and function?

·      How does the pre-adult social environment cause lasting changes in adult honey bee behavior and health?

·      How does nutrition influence neural metabolism and behavior in the honey bee?

 

Graduate student positions are fully funded. Interested students should contact Clare Rittschof (clare.r...@gmail.com) and visit the University of Kentucky Entomology website for more detailed information: http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/dept/gradprogram.asp