Post-Doctoral position

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Department of Soil and Environment Post-Doctoral position (2 years) www.ma.slu.se The NL-faculty of Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences has initiated a thematic research program: Biological Soil Mapping (BioSoM) of soil borne pathogens.The research program is intra-disciplinary and intradepartmental within SLU in close co-work with commercial laboratories and advisory services in Sweden.The overall goal is to develop a method for quantification of soil borne pathogens and to increase knowledge on dose /response of these pathogens and their interactions with soil physical and chemical conditions.The aim is to establish an improved forecasting scheme of the effects of different levels of soil borne inoculum on infestation and to develop methods to reduce the level of pathogens during field conditions.The approaches range from fundamental molecular analysis to field data in an intra-disciplinary network.The position has its base at the Department of Soil and Environment, Precision Agriculture and Pedometrics.The Department conducts basic and applied research regarding biological, physical and chemical soil properties and processes and their interaction with soil management, plant production and the environment.The main objective of the Division of Precision Agriculture is to develop methods and strategies for managing spatial heterogeneity within fields for enhancing crop production and minimizing negative impact on the environment. Work description: The objective of the post-doc position is to enhance the understanding of the effects of different nutrients on disease development of important soil-borne pathogens in Swedish crop production.The working frame will include development and adoption of assays for studies of effects of nutrients in growth chambers.New rapid molecular methods will be used for measuring pathogen levels in plants.The work will be performed in collaboration between the Department of Plant Biology and Forest Genetics and Department of Soil and Environment. Qualifications: A PhD in an appropriate research field is required with experience from work with plant bio-assays and nutrient supply e.g.plant nutrition and physiology, agronomy or horticulture.Experience of plant protection biology and of soil borne pathogens of important agricultural crops is meriting.Experience of work with new methodologies for detection of infection levels of pathogens is an asset, especially indirect methods.Documented social skills and proven skills in oral and written scientific English is required.To be appointed as a postdoc, the Ph D degree must have been awarded no more than three years prior to the time of application.Applicant awarded PhD degree more than three years ago can be appointed as a researcher.SLU is an equal opportunity employer.Documents that should be included in the application: CV, publication list, PhD diploma, copies of no more than five publications.A short description (2-3 pages) of previous research, current research interests of relevance for the position.E-mail addresses and telephone numbers of at least two reference persons should be included.All application documents should be written in English.Your complete application, marked with reference number 984/10 should be sent to the Register, SLU, Box 7070,