Job Description: The Noel lab in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at Auburn University is seeking a post-doctoral researcher to work on a USDA-AFRI-funded project focused on metagenomics of the spermosphere. The project aims to integrate ecological theory and metagenomics to understand traits selected early in a plant's life that result in vigorous growth. The candidate may also work with collaborating labs at Auburn University to understand the specific functions of pathogen secondary metabolite genes in seedling diseases or with collaborators at Pennsylvania State University to understand the functional diversity of the perturbed spermosphere. Candidates should demonstrate a clear and robust reco