MSc Student

Position Student (MSc) – Invermay Campus, Mosgiel. Full‑time, 1‑year position. Bioeconomy Science Institute Ltd does not provide relocation or visa support. About the Company The Bioeconomy Science Institute is New Zealand’s newest Public Research Organisation, formed through the merger of AgResearch, Plant & Food Research, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, and Scion. It exists to power New Zealand’s transition to a circular, resilient, and prosperous bioeconomy. Through world‑leading science, the Institute drives innovation across agriculture, horticulture, forestry, aquaculture, biotechnology, and manufacturing. It protects and enhances ecosystems, strengthens biosecurity and climate resilience, and develops cutting‑edge bio‑based products and technologies. Topic Detecting and characterising parental contamination in open‑pollinated orchards. Supervisors Prof Phillip Wilcox (Mathematics and Statistics, Otago) and Dr Ken Dodds (Bioeconomy Science Institute, Invermay, Mosgiel). Funding One‑year domestic tuition fees plus a stipend of $NZ22,000, contributed by the Radiata Pine Breeding Company (Christchurch). Project Overview Open‑pollinated orchards are used to multiply genetically improved plants and generate seeds for commercial populations. These orchards rely on natural pollination, and the intention is that the pollen is from trees within the orchard. Sometimes pollen is carried from outside the orchard, creating contamination that is of unknown genetic merit and devalues the seed. This project will examine methods and strategies for estimating the contamination rate using genotyping. The work will consider sampling strategies, genotyping requirements and options, and the completeness of parental genotyping. It may involve both simulation and actual datasets. Spatial effects whereby the contamination rate differs across the orchard and their relationship to environmental and management factors will also be explored. The successful applicant must be eligible to enrol in an MSc in genetics or statistics at the University of Otago. The student is expected to split time between the University of Otago and the Invermay Agricultural Centre (Mosgiel), working on the project for 2 or 3 days per week at each site. Dr Sai Arojju from the Radiata Pine Breeding Company will act as a project advisor. Additional advisors from the University of Otago, Bioeconomy Science Institute, or Radiata Pine Breeding Company may be added depending on the final project requirements. Qualifications Notable academic record (Bachelor of Science with Honours or a Postgraduate Diploma in Science including a thesis or dissertation). Eligibility to enrol in an MSc in genetics or statistics at the University of Otago (average undergraduate grade of B+). Strong communication skills, especially writing. Effective interpersonal and critical‑thinking skills. Demonstrated capacity for collaborative work. Application Process If you are interested in applying, please provide an online application that includes a cover letter and CV. The cover letter should be a maximum of one page and address the following: Your motivation for applying. Why you feel you are a good fit for the role. Specific experience and skills you will bring to the role. Any other elements you would like us to consider. For further information about your application, please contact Ken Dodds at [email protected]. Note: Interested candidates should apply at any time, as this opportunity will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. The advertisement may close prior to 1 March 2027 if a suitable candidate is identified earlier. #J-18808-Ljbffr