Post-Doctoral Associate – Application of Technologies to Automate Blueberry Phenotyping

Classification Title:

Postdoc Aso

Job Description:

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

This is a 12-month non-tenure-accruing position, available in the Horticultural Science Department Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. 

The blueberry breeding and genomic lab have addressed various questions to understand the genetic basis of important fruit quality traits and implement marker-assisted selection in the breeding routine. Automating phenotype measurement will decisively contribute to increasing our current efficiency, by leveraging the number of data points collected, eliminating human biases, and streamlining our current breeding pipelines. As a postdoc, you will be expected to collaborate with engineers and breeders to apply new devices/methods to automate phenotypical traits in blueberry. It includes the study of existing technologies, feasibility tests and adaptations, data collection, and recommending modifications.

Expectations for this role include the ability to translate engineering technologies into field applications while evaluating their efficacy and the quality of the data produced. Candidates are also expected to support in-field data collection, testing and validation, collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to implement phenomics-based procedures, and plan/manage data collection activities in the field. Additionally, the role involves coordinating small teams to ensure the timely execution of experiments during the season, preparing detailed data reports and presentations for scientific and industry groups, publishing results in peer-reviewed journals, and mentoring students.

As part of a post-doctoral experience, we offer opportunities and will encourage to participate and grow in research, teaching, grant writing, extension, and mentoring, all essential areas needed for the next step in your career. Following this model, we have a 100% success rate in placement in the desired job after working in our lab as a postdoc (n=6). Importantly, the Blueberry Breeding lab is fully embraced in the AI initiative at the University of Florida.  Recently, UF’s cluster has been ranked second most powerful among universities nationwide and third in higher education worldwide, with a No. 22 ranking overall. The supercomputer is a cluster that includes the latest generation of processors and offers nodes for memory-intensive computation, a resource that will be fully available for research in this area.

The Horticultural Sciences Department is a unit within IFAS at the University of Florida and has diverse teaching, research, and extension education programs with 34 faculty in Gainesville and 26 faculty at various Research and Education Centers throughout the state. The Horticultural Sciences Department is currently ranked top 9 in the center for world university rankings.

The Blueberry Breeding and Genomic Lab is part of the Horticultural Science Department and is directed by Dr. Patricio Munoz, an associate professor with over 16 years of expertise in plant breeding. The lab focuses on developing new blueberry cultivars and advancing research methodologies to expedite the cultivar development process.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The University of Florida is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 56,000 students.  UF is a member of The Association of American Universities.  The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Sea Grant program, and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 Research sites/demonstration units administered by RECs or academic departments, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties (counties operate and maintain). The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus.  UF/IFAS employs nearly 4,500 people, which includes approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nation’s largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Vice President and four deans: the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine.  UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.

Expected Salary:

Commensurate with education and experience

Minimum Requirements:

• Doctorate in Computer Science, Agricultural Engineering, Plant Science, or a related field.
• Knowledge of phenotyping methods and tools.
• Experience with fieldwork and data collection in agricultural or plant science contexts.
• Ability to translate engineering technologies into practical field applications.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to analyze and interpret complex data.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment.
• Candidates must also have a commitment to UF core values . 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong programming skills in Python or R.
• Experience with computer vision models and their application in the classification of plant disease.
• Familiarity with phenomics-based procedures and their application in agriculture.
• Background in blueberry breeding or other fruit breeding programs.
• Experience in publishing research results in peer-reviewed journals.
• Proficiency in using data analysis and visualization tools.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Application Information

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.

• Individuals wishing to apply should go online to Careers at UF and submit:
• Cover letter that states applicant’s motivation in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information (including email addresses) for 3 individuals willing to write letters of recommendation

Selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible.  Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. The University of Florida is a public institution and subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws

The University of Florida is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations, genetic information, and veteran status in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotion, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a variety of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF.

Health Assessment Required: No