Part-Time Research Assistant Positions - Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology

Part-Time Research Assistant PositionsPart-time research assistant positions (spring, summer, and fall) are available in the Esker Lab, Department of Plant Pathology and Environmental Microbiology. These roles support laboratory and fieldwork for the plant disease epidemiology program, focusing on research on field crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat.We are a dynamic lab that employs various methods to manage plant diseases, supported by federal grants and funding from commodity groups and industry partners. Our research is carried out using facilities at Buckhout Laboratory on the University Park campus. We also conduct field trials at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center in Rock Springs, the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Manheim, and across Pennsylvania as part of the Soybean On-Farm Network. Opportunities are also available for independent research!Typical duties in this position include, but are not limited to:Fungal culture media preparationMicrobiological culturing and isolation of soil and seed-borne fungal pathogensEnumeration of fungal coloniesSelection of pure cultures of isolates for long-term preservationMicroscopic evaluation and identification of fungal culturesAssist with laboratory assays, including pathogenicity tests and fungicide sensitivity studiesAssist with DNA extraction and quality check of fungal isolates from different genomic projectsCollect soil and plant samples from field and greenhouse experiments and provide necessary assistance with sample processing before analysis/evaluationPerform germination tests for corn, soybean, and wheat seed samples from field trialsAssess plant diseases from research studies conducted in the field, as well as in greenhouse or growth chamber trialsData entry of field and laboratory experiments