Research Scientist I, Plant Pathologist

About the Company

ProFarm is an agricultural technology company on a mission to improve the food we eat in a way that benefits the grower, the consumer, and the entire industry. Headquartered in Davis, California, we deliver field-proven, biological solutions for pest management and plant health.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute bioassay experiments to advance understanding of plant-microbe interactions in lab, greenhouse, and field settings
• Develop and implement fungal, oomycete, and bacterial pathosystems for screening new formulations
• Maintain microbial cultures and ensure lab organization
• Document work to a high standard of completeness and accuracy
• Supervise interns or junior scientists in data generation and collection
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to support R&D agility

Requirements

• Master's or PhD in Plant Pathology or a related field
• 3+ years of industry R&D experience with plant disease bioassays
• Proficiency with statistics including ANOVA and non-linear regression
• Experience with MS Office and statistical software such as JMP or R
• Valid driver's license for occasional travel
• Ability to work in greenhouse and lab settings involving soil and plant material

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DNA and RNA extractions from various tissues
• Proficiency in PCR, gel electrophoresis, and qPCR
• Microbial identification using sequencing or traditional methods
• General microbiology and molecular biology techniques

Benefits

• Comprehensive health plan
• Medical and dental coverage
• Life insurance
• Long term disability
• Flexible spending account for dependent care and medical expenses