Asst/Assoc Project Scientist - Field Stations and Nature Reserves

UC Berkeley Nature seeks applications for a Project Scientist at the Assistant or Associate rank. The selected candidate will be appointed at a rank commensurate with prior experience. The position will report to Professor Paul Fine.

The Assistant or Associate Project Scientist will contribute to research on the impacts of cannabis cultivation on native grassland microbial diversity in the North Coast Range of California. This research is funded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). The purpose of this project is to investigate the impacts of cannabis cultivation on native grasslands in California's North Coast Range and to inform conservation and stewardship of these biodiverse and understudied habitats.

The Assistant or Associate Project Scientist will lead soil microbiome, metabolomic, and soil inoculation experiments to quantify how cannabis cultivation alters belowground ecosystem function and to test restoration strategies. This includes generating and analyzing high-throughput bacterial (16S) and fungal (ITS) sequencing data from soils and plant roots to characterize shifts in microbial diversity, composition, and functional groups across impacted and reference grasslands, as well as following experimental inoculations.

The Assistant or Associate Project Scientist will be responsible for designing and implementing greenhouse and field soil inoculation experiments that transfer soils from intact grasslands to sites impacted by cannabis cultivation. Additionally, the scientist will oversee an untargeted root metabolomics project to identify how soil inoculations and microbial communities influence plant chemical profiles that mediate plant-microbe interactions.

Other responsibilities include mentoring field technicians and assisting with tasks associated with the larger project, such as coordinating community events and establishing standard biodiversity monitoring protocols at study sites. This work requires daily in-person work at the Angelo Coast Range Reserve in Branscomb, CA.

PhD (or equivalent international degree)

Four years of postdoctoral research experience.

• Experience in soil and root microbiome analysis using high-throughput 16S/ITS amplicon sequencing, including diversity metrics, community composition, and functional interpretation.
• Experience with plant metabolomics and biochemical profiling, including metabolite extraction, GC-MS/LC-MS workflows, and linking chemical traits to plant-microbe interactions.
• Demonstrated experience leading long-term greenhouse and field experiments, including designing and executing plant bioassays and studies of plant-soil-microbe interactions under controlled and natural conditions.
• Strong bioinformatics and multi-omics integration skills, working with datasets such as microbiome, metabolomics, genomics, and transcriptomics using reproducible workflows in Python, R, and HPC environments.
• Hands-on molecular and microbial laboratory expertise, including DNA/RNA extraction, microbial assays, NGS library preparation, and sample preparation for sequencing and metabolomics analyses.
• Demonstrated capacity to develop and apply reproducible data pipelines and analytical tools, ensuring transparent analysis of complex ecological datasets.
• Ability to effectively communicate, participate in efficient and open collaboration, and engage with a diverse group of researchers and community members.
• PhD in Plant biology, plant ecology or related fields.

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.

The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.

For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.

In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Unless stated otherwise, unambiguously, in the position description, this position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.

As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

• "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment or discrimination, as defined by the employer.
• UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
• UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
• APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment