The at the of Imperial College London is looking for a motivated, detail-oriented Laboratory Technician to assist with a large project seeking to engineer soil microbiomes to
Your role will include assisting with the collection of soil samples from around the UK, and help cultivate wheat both in the lab and in the field. Due to the microbial component of the project, you will also be required to maintain clean, sterile techniques when performing these duties. Working in the Waring Lab at Silwood Park in Berkshire, you will collaborate with a large team of researchers seeking to develop a microbial solution to reduce one of the most important root diseases of wheat worldwide (take-all disease). You will be part of a team of 2 technicians, 5 post-doctoral researchers and 5 Principal Investigators, all based at Silwood, all exploring this specific project to develop a new ‘Green Revolution’. This research will be conducted at the Silwood Park Campus of Imperial College London, a globally renowned centre for theoretical and applied ecology. Silwood Park hosts an 80 hectare nature reserve and has close transportation links to central London.
You will:
1. Communicate regularly with Dr. Bonnie Waring and other members of the Green Revolution team to plan and execute tasks in a timely fashion.
2. Maintain wheat plants in Controlled Environment chambers, mesocosms, and field plots
3. Assist with soil and microbe collections and inoculations
4. Assist with soil sample collections at UK field site visits
5. Analyse soil properties and conduct simple biogeochemical assays
6. Record and quality-check sample collections
7. Help maintain and organize laboratory facilities to support the work described above.
Essential criteria:
8. An undergraduate degree in ecology, earth/environmental science, geology, or a related field
9. The capacity to conduct fieldwork under adverse conditions (hot, rainy, buggy, – note that all fieldwork for this experiment will take place in the UK
10. A valid driver’s licence (for traveling to/from field sites)
11. Ability to communicate clearly, collaborate effectively within diverse groups, and deliver progress by mutually agreed deadlines
12. Good proficiency with laboratory tasks (., maintaining sterile practices, using micropipettes, notetaking, sample organisation).
Desirable criteria:
13. Previous experience, through employment or coursework, in at least two of the following areas (no candidate is expected to have expertise in all of them):
14. Agronomy
15. Plant-fungal interactions
16. Plant pathology
17. Plant physiology
18. Soil biogeochemistry
19. Soil microbial ecology
20. Experience growing plants in controlled conditions
21. Experience with agricultural field trials.
22. The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to continue science for humanity.
23. Grow your career: Gain access to Imperial’s sector-leading as well as opportunities for promotion and progression
24. Sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 39 days off a year and generous pension schemes).