Available Positions

Ph.D. Student Position in Plant Developmental Biology


The Scarpella Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Alberta is seeking a motivated Ph.D. student with an interest in plant development. The selected student will start graduate school on September 1, 2025 and will combine molecular genetics and live imaging to understand the mechanisms controlling vein formation in the Arabidopsis leaf. A research-based M.Sc. degree is preferred but not required.

If you wish to be considered, please send to enrico.scarpella@ualberta.ca a single application document that contains only the following information under the following headings:

  1. Current degree. The degree you’re currently pursuing, the institution at which you’re pursuing that degree, your current GPA, and your expected graduation date
  2. Past degrees. The degrees you previously earned, the institutions at which you earned those degrees, your final GPAs, and your graduation dates
  3. Academic eligibility. How you meet the department’s minimum academic requirement (see here and here)
  4. English eligibility. How you meet the department’s minimum English language requirement (see here and here)
  5. Peer-reviewed publications. A list of your peer-reviewed publications. For each of those publications, include author list, title, journal, volume, and page numbers
  6. Non-peer-reviewed publications. A list of your non-peer-reviewed publications, including B.Sc. and M.Sc. theses. For each of those publications, include author list, title, journal, volume, and page numbers
  7. Conference presentations. A list of your conference presentations. For each of those presentations, include author list (mark with a star the presenting author); title; name, location, and dates of the conference; and whether it was a poster or talk
  8. Research experiences. A list of your research experiences. For each of those experiences, include dates, project title, and name of your supervisor
  9. Referees. Contact information for two referees

Applications that fail to follow the format above won’t be considered. Please write “Ph.D. Student Position in Plant Developmental Biology” in the email subject line. Please send your application by October 31, 2024. Women and members of minorities and marginalized groups are particularly encouraged to apply.

Short-listed candidates will be interviewed in late November 2024, and the selected candidate will be invited to apply to the department (deadline of application: February 1, 2025).

For information on graduate studies in the department, including financial information, please see herehere, and here.