Research Associate

KU is seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to make a positive contribution to our research team. The Research Associate for the Palm project will play a key role in managing, executing, and analyzing this multidisciplinary research initiative. The project aims to harness advanced genomic technologies to accelerate the breeding of improved date palm varieties with key market traits. By integrating PacBio HiFi sequencing, Illumina WGS, GWAS, and high-throughput bioinformatics, the study aims to generate a comprehensive catalog of polymorphic markers linked to key economic traits, enabling the development of a custom genotyping chip, marker-assisted breeding strategies, improved cultivars, and detailed documentation of UAE date palm germplasm at both phenotypic and genomic levels. The position requires strong scientific, organizational, and leadership skills to ensure the smooth coordination of fieldwork, laboratory analysis, data management, and team collaboration across multiple research domains. The project aims to harness advanced genomic technologies to accelerate the breeding of improved alfalfa varieties with key market traits. By integrating PacBio HiFi sequencing, Illumina WGS and GWAS, and high-throughput bioinformatics, the study aims to generate a comprehensive catalog of polymorphic markers linked to key economic traits, enabling the development of a custom genotyping chip, marker-assisted breeding strategies, improved cultivars, and detailed documentation of UAE alfalfa at both phenotypic and genomic levels.

Strategic Responsibilities

The Biotechnology Center is looking to recruit a research associate to make a positive contribution to our research team:

• Oversee study design, protocol development.
• Prepare project reports and publications.

Operational Responsibilities

The Research Associate will be responsible for the following activities:

• Conduct sample collection of palm plant materials, ensuring proper handling, labeling, and documentation for downstream genomic analyses.
• Conduct DNA extraction, library preparation, and sample QC for PacBio HiFi sequencing.
• Support the design, optimization, and validation of SNP arrays for high-resolution genotyping.
• Perform genome-wide association studies (GWAS), including data preprocessing, statistical modeling, and visualization of trait–marker associations.
• Assist in developing a catalog of polymorphic markers associated with key agronomic and economic traits.
• Contribute to the development and validation of a custom genotyping chip for date palm.
• Participate in establishing and refining marker-assisted breeding schemes , including selection workflows and data interpretation.
• Document phenotypic and genomic data from UAE date palm germplasm collections, ensuring proper data curation and metadata management.
• Maintain laboratory records, sequencing logs, sample inventories, and data management systems in compliance with project standards.
• Troubleshoot laboratory and computational workflows and contribute to continuous optimization of protocols.
• Prepare technical reports, SOPs, and data summaries for internal reviews, collaborators.
• Support training of junior researchers and interns in laboratory techniques and data analysis workflows as needed.
• Ensure compliance with safety guidelines, data governance policies, and institutional quality assurance standards.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise and mentor research assistants, laboratory technicians, and graduate students working on sample processing and data collection.
• Oversee the daily activities of field and lab teams, ensuring adherence to standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Facilitate regular team meetings, updates, and progress reports.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and quality assurance standards across study activities.

• Masters gained from and/or experience working in a top 200 QS or THE ranked University
• At least 2 years of increasingly accountable relevant experience as a researcher in academia or in industry