"Research Scholar: Integrated Genomics and Applied Bioinformatics to Support Plant Breeding Programs"

Research Scholar: Integrated Genomics and Applied Bioinformatics to Support Plant Breeding Programs

Company: North Carolina State University

Job Location:

Category: Plant and Soil Science

Type: Full-Time

Join the Pack! A community with nearly 8,000 faculty and staff, and 30,000 students. NC State is one of the largest employers in North Carolina, offering a large range of career opportunities. Visit us at https://jobs.hr.ncsu.edu/.

Location: Raleigh, NC

Essential Job Duties:

The Research Scholar serves as a highly visible leader in the implementation of applied genomics and bioinformatics to support genomics-based selection decisions in breeding programs across the United States. This position plays a critical role in bridging research innovation with applied breeding outcomes by designing and deploying bioinformatics pipelines, coordinating multi-institutional breeding efforts, and enabling the integration of genomics into decision-making processes. The work directly impacts national breeding programs and contributes to improving crop performance, efficiency, and data-driven selection across multiple commodities.

Applied Genomics & Bioinformatics Leadership

• Design, develop, and implement applied genomics strategies to support genomics-based selection decisions in public breeding programs.
• Develop, integrate, and maintain bioinformatics pipelines and analytical tools for efficient and accurate genotyping across varied crop systems.
• Perform large-scale genomic and phenotypic data analyses spanning multiple field programs and breeding populations.
• Evaluate historical and current breeding program practices to establish standardized, scalable data management and analysis protocols.

Breeding Program Coordination & Collaboration

• Coordinate applied genomics efforts across multiple university and USDA-ARS breeding programs, including cotton and peanut.
• Collaborate with breeding teams to develop genomic resources and genotyping platforms aligned with program-specific breeding objectives.
• Serve as a liaison among breeders, researchers, and partner institutions to ensure streamlined collaboration and consistent implementation of genomics tools.
• Manage logistical procedures related to genomics implementation, data flow, and coordination across breeding programs.

Training, Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide leadership, guidance, and training to breeders, research staff, and collaborators on applied genomics tools, data interpretation, and best practices.
• Communicate genomics strategies, results, and impacts effectively to growers, breeders, stakeholders, and program leaders.
• Support knowledge transfer and adoption of genomics-based breeding approaches through presentations, workshops, and collaborative discussions.

If you are a strategic scientific leader who thrives at the intersection of genomics, data science, and applied breeding and you are motivated by translating complex research into practical tools that strengthen national breeding programs we encourage you to apply and help drive the future of data-informed crop improvement.

Minimum Experience/Education:

Ph.D. genetics, bioinformatics, computational biology or relevant terminal degree), or relevant Master's degree with at least 2 years of formal post-degree professional work experience, or in rare instances, an individual with a comparable professional experience but less than a master's degree, plus 8 years of exceptional relevant professional experience, will be considered.
*All degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions.*

Required Qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of informatics tools such as Linux, linkage mapping software, Python, R-statistical analysis software, and SQL or other databases.
• Demonstrated leadership, mentorship, and interdisciplinary group collaboration skills with scientists from varied disciplines and backgrounds, including good interpersonal and clear English communication skills, both orally and in writing of reports and publications, effective work habits, and the ability to work as part of a team and in a self-directed manner.
• Experience with the BreedBase database structure and experience with using it in an applied breeding program.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong knowledge of operations in breeding programs with at least 1 year post-PhD experience in an applied informatics program, proficiency in high-throughput bioinformatics analyses integrating phenotypic and genomic data, and demonstrated associated publications.
• Experience in applied genomics in cotton and/or peanut.

Required License or Certification: n/a