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Dr. Jamie Courter is your Mizzou Beef Genetics Extension Specialist

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By Jared E. Decker Many of you have probably noticed that things have been a lot less active on the A Steak in Genomics™   blog, but you probably haven't known why. In January 2021, I was named the Wurdack Chair in Animal Genomics at Mizzou, and I now focus on research, with a little bit of teaching. I no longer have an extension appointment. But, with exciting news, the blog is about to become a lot more active! Jamie Courter began as the new MU Extension state beef genetics specialist in the Division of Animal Sciences on September 1, 2023. I have known Jamie for several years, meeting her at BIF when she was a Masters student. I have been impressed by Jamie in my interactions with her since that time.  Dr. Courter and I have been working closely together the last 6 weeks, and I am excited to work together to serve the beef industry for years to come! Jamie holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from North Carolina State University and earned a master's degree in animal...
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Now HIRING! Looking for talented postdoctoral fellow

My group is currently recruiting a postdoctoral fellow.

We are looking for candidates who are passionate about genetics, genomics, and research. Ideal candidates are creative, hard working (while maintaining a work/life balance), and self starters. Our group is strictly computational, so candidates should enjoy working on computers and analyzing data. Candidates should have programming experience (typically in R, Python, Perl, Julia, etc.) and be familiar with the command line. Candidates will need to demonstrate ability to write well and publish research.

We currently have access to over 48,000 genotyped beef cattle with phenotypes and breeding values from breed associations (see Decker, 2015). We are currently negotiating to obtain access to an additional 300,000 genotyped cattle. These samples are in addition to tens of thousands of animals genotyped by the University of Missouri researchers (see Google Scholar profile for examples of data sets). We also have access to whole genome sequencing data from over 2,000 cattle. So, if you like working with lots of data, come join us! Our group uses population genomics to better understand the  history of cattle breeds and to inform future selection decisions. We are interested in local genetic adaption, fertility, inbreeding, and, of course, genomic prediction. We have a large USDA-funded project focusing on local adaption in cattle. With our collaborators, we also enjoy projects looking at the evolution of quail, buffalo, and catfish.

 Candidates interested in science communication and extension will also have opportunities to develop these skills.

We hope to fill the position as soon as possible, but hiring the right candidate will be the priority.

Interested candidates should contact Jared Decker, either by email, phone, or Twitter. Please include your CV and references.

As a mentor, my focus is helping you achieve your career goals. I have an open door policy and routinely touch base with my students. We have weekly joint lab meetings with Jerry Taylor's group and Bob Schnabel's group. I have an annual meeting with each mentee to discuss career plans, 5 and 10 year plans, progress, professional development goals, etc. I would be happy to put you in touch with my current graduate students so they can tell you more about my mentorship style and what working in my group is like.

 Salary based on experience, history of productivity, and qualifications; salary will be in the range of $50,000 to $65,000.

Please contact me if you would like more information about this position.



The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. To request ADA accommodations, please contact Amber Cheek, JD our Director of ADA Education and Accessibility at 573-884-7278 (V/TTY).

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