A postdoctoral research fellowship is available at the National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment in Ames, IA. The fellow will design and conduct research on plant traits influencing plant-microbe interactions and nitrogen cycling in the rhizosphere and detritosphere of maize and maize wild relatives. The aim of this research is to 1) identify and develop novel sources of biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) capacity and 2) evaluate the contribution of plant traits, including BNI and nitrogen recycling, to agroecosystem nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen retention and reductions in nitrous oxide emissions. The postdoctoral research fellowship will take place as part of an interdisciplinary team of government, university, and industry scientists within The Circular Economy that Reimagines Corn Agriculture (CERCA) project. CERCA is a national, 20+ lab effort that aims to reduce environmental impact of maize production systems by converting maize to an earlier season annual with increased uptake, recycling and retention of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer.
Preference will be given to applicants who have:
- Received or be pursuing a PhD in microbial ecology, soil biogeochemistry, plant-microbe interactions or related field.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills and evidence of successful publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- Ability to work independently and within a team.