About the Opportunity

This internship will offer the opportunity to work closely with Driscoll’s raspberry and blackberry breeding programs. The intern will be responsible for a bioinformatics project with each berry. In parallel, the intern will participate in general day-to-day breeding activities during peak season, including but not limited to, seedling selection, fruit evaluation, and phenotyping. The intern will present the data and conclusion of their main projects in a report and will give an oral presentation to discuss their findings. Project description: The intern will analyze several transcriptomic data sets from raspberry and blackberry cultivars. The analysis will include gene annotation, transcriptome sequence alignment to reference genomes, differential expression analysis between varieties or treatment, and e-QTL analysis.

Responsibilities

• Develop reproducible pipelines for analysis of transcriptomic data – differential expression analysis, alignment to a reference genome, e-QTL analysis 
• Analyze transcriptome data available for raspberry and blackberry
• Communicate progress and obstacles with members of the bioinformatics, raspberry, and blackberry teams
• Share findings through detailed documentations and summarized reports
• Collect raspberry and blackberry phenotypic data in the field, fruit lab, and/or greenhouse
• Assist in seedling selection and fruit evaluation for both breeding programs 
• Help the different teams in day-to-day activities, such as plant tissue collection
• Present findings, and provide recommendations based on findings
• Responsible for managing activities in collaboration with the breeding teams and collaborative research teams to accomplish planned growth
• Represents Driscoll’s in an ethical and business-like professional manner in all interactions with growers, co-workers, suppliers, customers, and the business community at large
• Ensure Driscoll’s confidential and proprietary information and materials
   

Candidate Profile

• Working on Master Degree or PhD Degree in a Bioinformatics, Horticulture, Plant Science, or similar program
• Areas of experience: Plant breeding, Molecular breeding, Plant Genetics, Bioinformatics, Statistics, Biology, Horticulture, Plant physiology
• Analysis of transcriptome data sets (in auto-polyploids a plus)
• Statistical analysis using R or Python-based frameworks 
• Gene clustering and functional gene family analysis
• Experience in Unix-based software environment 
• Understand scientific method
• Great communication skills
• Driver’s license valid in California and the ability to be covered under company-sponsored vehicle insurance program
• Be reliable, honest, and trustworthy
• Must be able to travel to and from work
• A driver’s license that allows use of a company pool vehicle
• Availability to work in both research lab and outdoor field environment
   

The following information is provided in good faith as a general description of the salary range and benefits for the position posted.  The actual compensation offered to the successful candidate is dependent upon experience, skills, education, work location, internal pay equity, and other objective job-related factors. 

The hourly range estimated for this internship is:
•    Freshman to recent grad: $18-$22
•    Master to PhD: $26-$40
 

Driscoll’s is committed to a culture of care and offers an attractive benefits package that includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and disability coverage for positions working more than 30 hours per week. Other benefits include:  401(k) with employer match, profit-sharing participation, paid sick time, paid vacation, paid personal and family care leave, and a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP).  More detailed information regarding the benefits package, will be shared during the application process.

About Driscolls

Driscoll's is the global market leader for fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. With more than 100 years of farming heritage and hundreds of independent growers around the world, Driscoll's is passionate about growing fresh, beautiful and delicious berries. Our values of humility, passion and trustworthiness have guided our mission to delight consumers around the world.

Driscoll's exclusive patented berry varieties are developed through years of research using only natural breeding methods – meaning, no GMOs. From farm-to-table, we focus on delivering a high quality, premium berry experience with our many supply chain partners.

Driscoll's is the trusted brand for Only the Finest Berries™.

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Driscoll's es el proveedor líder en la comercialización de Fresas, Frambuesas, Zarzamoras y Arándanos Azules en el mundo. Con más de 100 años de herencia en agricultura y cientos de productores independiente alrededor del mundo, Driscoll's es una compañía apasionada por cultivar Berries frescas, hermosas y deliciosas. Nuestros valores de humildad, pasión y confianza han guiado nuestra misión de deleitar a los consumidores en el mundo.

Las variedades exclusivas de Driscoll's han sido desarrolladas a través de años de investigación usando sólo métodos de mejoramiento natural. De la granja a la mesa, nos enfocamos en ofrecer una experiencia de alta calidad con apoyo de nuestros socios de la cadena de suministro.

Driscoll's es la marca de confianza de sólo las mejores Berries.