Position Details
Position Information
| Recruitment/Posting Title |
Research Associate - Turfgrass Breeding |
| Department |
SEBS-Plant Biology |
| Salary Details |
$85,588 |
| Offer Information |
The final salary offer may be determined by several factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate's qualifications, experience, and expertise, and availability of department or grant funds to support the position. We also take into consideration market benchmarks, if and when appropriate, and internal equity to ensure fair compensation relative to the university's broader compensation structure. We are committed to offering competitive and flexible compensation packages to attract and retain top talent. |
| Benefits |
Rutgers offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees, based on position, which includes:
- Medical, prescription drug, and dental coverage
- Paid vacation, holidays, and various leave programs
- Competitive retirement benefits, including defined contribution plans and voluntary tax-deferred savings options
- Employee and dependent educational benefits
- Life insurance coverage
- Employee discounts programs
For detailed information on benefits and eligibility, please visit:
http://uhr.rutgers.edu/benefits/benefits-overview. |
| Posting Summary |
The Rutgers Turfgrass Breeding Program, a historical leader in the development of cool-season perennial grasses, is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to join our multidisciplinary team. This position, housed within the Department of Plant Biology at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, will contribute to cutting-edge research at the intersection of quantitative genetics, artificial intelligence, and remote sensing to advance turfgrass improvement.
The successful candidate will lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of automated bioinformatics pipelines to support routine genotyping in polyploid turfgrass species. This includes managing quality control pipelines, genome profiling, and specialized analyses such as endophyte detection. The candidate will play a key role in developing and training genomic selection models that integrate dense molecular markers and high-throughput phenotypic data to improve selection accuracy and accelerate breeding timelines. The position also involves statistical analysis of breeding data, variance component estimation, and identification of quantitative trait loci (
QTL) for traits such as drought tolerance, seed yield, and disease resistance.
The associate will coordinate and perform regular unmanned areal vehicle (
UAV) flights over turfgrass research farms for systematic phenotyping of breeding nurseries, mapping populations, and trial plots. The candidate will be responsible for processing and analyzing spatio-temporal datasets, including
RGB, multispectral, hyperspectral, and LiDAR imagery. This includes generating vegetation indices and quantitative descriptors of key quality traits, and making these available to other researchers through geographic information systems (
GIS) for evaluating performance across locations and growing seasons. Support for other researchers in the Turfgrass Center in designing and analyzing remote sensing experiments is expected.
An essential component of the position is the ongoing development and refinement of high-throughput phenotyping (
HTP) workflows that synthesize data from UAVs, ground-based platforms, and environmental sensors. The candidate will build modular computer vision pipelines and machine learning models to extract phenotypic traits from imagery. These data will be integrated with genotypic and environmental information to improve linear mixed models, estimate heritability, assess genetic correlations, and model genotype-by-environment interactions. The candidate will also contribute to the creation of user-friendly,
GUI-based statistical tools for use by the lab, and to the design and population of a centralized turfgrass breeding history database that supports long-term data tracking and strategic decision-making.
The successful applicant is expected to publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at scientific conferences. Mentorship and training of undergraduate and graduate students will be an important component of the position. The candidate will also support the delivery of advanced plant breeding and genetics coursework, including contributing to curriculum development and guest lectures.
|
| Position Status |
Full Time |
| Posting Number |
25FA0948 |
| Posting Open Date |
10/10/2025 |
| Posting Close Date |
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Qualifications
| Minimum Education and Experience |
Ph.D. in plant breeding, genetics, statistics, or a related discipline.
|
| Certifications/Licenses |
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| Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities |
- At least 2 years of experience in applied quantitative genetics or high-throughput phenotyping research.
- Strong programming skills in Python and R; experience with distributed or high-performance computing environments.
- Experience in statistical genetics, machine learning, remote sensing, and geospatial data processing.
- Proficiency in drone operation and sensor-based data collection (FAA Part 107 certification a plus).
- Documented publication record in relevant scientific fields.
- Strong communication skills and experience collaborating in interdisciplinary research teams.
- Experience developing user-friendly software tools (GUI preferred) and managing research databases is highly desirable.
|
| Preferred Qualifications |
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| Equipment Utilized |
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| Physical Demands and Work Environment |
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| Overview |
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| Statement |
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Posting Details
| Special Instructions to Applicants |
Interested applicants must apply online through the
ROCS system of Rutgers University at
https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/261168
and submit 1) Curriculum Vitae, 2) Statement of Research Interests (no more than one page),
3) copy of graduate and undergraduate transcripts (unofficial transcripts are acceptable), and
4) contact information of at least four references.
This position is funded for a minimum of three years, with the possibility of renewal based on performance and continued funding. Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience.
Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled. We aim to fill the position as soon as possible with a tentative start date of November 2025.
|
| Quick Link to Posting |
https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/261168 |
| Campus |
Rutgers University-New Brunswick |
| Home Location Campus |
Off Campus |
| City |
Freehold (Adelphia) |
| State |
NJ |
| Location Details |
Rutgers Plant Science Research & Extension Farm
594 Halls Mill Road, Freehold, NJ 07728 |
Pre-employment Screenings
All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings. Immunization Requirements
Under Policy 100.3.1 Immunization Policy for Covered Individuals, if employment will commence during Flu Season, Rutgers University may require certain prospective employees to provide proof that they are vaccinated against Seasonal Influenza for the current Flu Season, unless the University has granted the individual a medical or religious exemption. Additional infection control and safety policies may apply. Prospective employees should speak with their hiring manager to determine which policies apply to the role or position for which they are applying. Failure to provide proof of vaccination for any required vaccines or obtain a medical or religious exemption from the University will result in rescission of a candidate's offer of employment or disciplinary action up to and including termination. Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address: http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement |
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