"Postdoctoral Fellow in Tomatillo Evolution"

The goal of this project is to estimate the phylogeny for the entire tomatillo clade (ca. 310 species) and use this phylogeny to test the relationship between the evolution of inflated calyces and biochemical defenses. The postdoctoral fellow will lead the phylogenomic and comparative methods elements of the project. They will prepare samples for sequencing and metabolomics from the greenhouse, herbaria, and the field. They will use bioinformatic pipelines to carry out phylogenetic estimation, and they will conduct comparative analyses to trace the evolution of defense metabolites and morphological evolution across the tomatillo clade. This project includes field work in Mexico to sample diverse wild tomatillos. In addition to their research, the postdoctoral fellow will gain teaching experience through co-mentoring undergraduate researchers and presenting the plant diversity modules for high school students. They will receive training and mentoring to support their professional development and promote their success in this role. CU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

EBIO's disciplinary strengths include ecology, evolution, genetics, behavior, biology education research and systematics. Our research programs have relevance for global change, conservation biology, the spread of diseases, and revealing fundamental mechanisms underlying the structural and functional adaptations of organisms.

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What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

• Assisting in the management of living collections for sequencing and metabolomics
• Participating in field work to obtain additional material
• Preparing DNA and metabolite extracts for downstream analysis
• Working closely with collaborators to analyze the target capture data and metabolomic profiles in a phylogenetic framework
• Taking part in mentoring and outreach activities associated with the project
• Communicating the results of the research through presentations and publications

Appointment start date 9/1/25-5/31/27.