MSc Student in Genetics or Statistics

About Bioeconomy Science Institute

The Bioeconomy Science Institute (BSI), established in 2025 via a merger of AgResearch, Plant & Food Research, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, and Scion, is New Zealand's newest public research organization. BSI fosters innovation in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, aquaculture, biotechnology, and manufacturing, driving the transition to a circular and resilient bioeconomy through world-leading scientific research. It also focuses on ecosystem protection, biosecurity strengthening, climate resilience, and the development of advanced bio-based technologies and products.

Project Overview

This full-time, one-year MSc project focuses on identifying and characterizing parental contamination in open-pollinated orchards. Open-pollinated orchards, used to expand genetically improved plants and produce seeds for commercial use, rely on natural pollination predominantly from within-orchard trees. Occasionally, pollen from outside sources contaminates the orchard, lowering seed quality due to unknown genetic attributes.

The research aims to develop and assess techniques for estimating contamination rates via genotyping. This includes evaluating sampling strategies, genotyping approaches, and completeness of parental genotyping. The study may include simulations and analyses of real datasets, also examining spatial variation of contamination across orchards in relation to environmental and management conditions.

Supervision and Funding

The project is supervised jointly by Professor Phillip Wilcox (Mathematics and Statistics, University of Otago) and Dr. Ken Dodds (Bioeconomy Science Institute). Funding is provided by the Radiata Pine Breeding Company, covering one year of domestic tuition fees and a stipend of NZD 22,000.

Location and Work Arrangement

The student will be based at the Invermay Agricultural Centre in Mosgiel and the University of Otago, dividing their time approximately between two to three days per week at each site.

About You

• You hold a Bachelor of Science with Honours or a Postgraduate Diploma in Science that includes a thesis or dissertation component.
• You are eligible for enrolment in a Master of Science in genetics or statistics at the University of Otago, with an average undergraduate grade of at least B+.
• You possess strong written communication skills and the ability to articulate scientific concepts effectively.
• You exhibit excellent interpersonal skills and critical thinking capabilities.
• You have demonstrated aptitude for working collaboratively in research settings.

Application Process

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter (maximum one page) and CV, describing their motivation, suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and any additional details they consider pertinent. The opportunity remains open until a suitable candidate is appointed; thus, early applications are encouraged. Final application deadline is 1 March 2027.

Note that the Bioeconomy Science Institute cannot provide assistance with relocation or visa procedures.

Contact

For inquiries regarding the position, please contact Dr. Ken Dodds via email.