The Lazcano Soil Biodiversity and Health Lab is seeking a highly motivated individual to contribute to the ongoing projects in soil ecology and soil health in different agricultural settings (https://lazcano.faculty.ucdavis.edu).
The successful candidate will participate in soil sampling and analysis to determine the variability in different aspects of soil health in wine grape production. Parallel research will try to determine the biological processes underpinning changes in soil health under different management strategies. The Junior specialist will interact closely with growers and perform field sampling in different regions of California (Lodi, Sonoma, Monterey, Santa Maria), with occasional samplings that will require traveling to vineyards in the Oregon. In addition, the Junior Specialist will be expected to work on parallel projects studying plant-microbial interactions in the rhizosphere. Therefore, the Junior specialist will develop a comprehensive skillset in the analysis of soil biology and biochemical properties.

Under the supervision of Dr. Lazcano, the Junior Specialist will perform the following duties:
I. Research (90%)
• Coordination and leading of soil sampling events, in collaboration with the lab graduate students.
• Collection of soil, plant and gas samples at the field sites
• Processing of the samples collected (sieving, drying, grinding)
• Biochemical analyses of the samples (microbial biomass, C and N contents, microbial activity, etc.)
• Maintenance and troubleshooting of the instruments and tools in the lab
• Recordkeeping, data entry and synthesis.
• Implementation and maintenance of UC Davis lab safety requirements
• Participation in regular lab meetings
• Regular and fluent communication with the PI and graduate students
• Review research proposals, journal manuscripts, and publications related to area of expertise.
• Contribution to scholarly scientific manuscripts from the lab, by writing methods, creating figures and performing statistical analyses on the data collected

II. Professional competence (5%):
The Junior Specialist will be encouraged to attend and present at regular laboratory group meetings, attend seminars at the university, and local scientific and extension meetings to present data. Examples of meetings where the candidate would present are, wine-industry field days, The California Plant and Soil annual conference, the California Annual Small Farm Conference as well as the annual meetings of the American Geophysical Union and the Soil Science Society of America.

III. University and public service (5%):
The Junior Specialist may mentor undergraduate lab assistants working in the lab