AgResearch Limited
MSc Student
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
MSc Project in Genetics or Statistics
Position: Student (MSc)
Location: Invermay Campus, Mosgiel
This is a full-time position over 1 year. Bioeconomy Science Institute Ltd is unable to provide support for relocation and visa activities.
About the Company
The Bioeconomy Science Institute is New Zealand’s newest Public Research Organisation, formed through the merger of AgResearch, Plant & Food Research, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, and Scion. The Bioeconomy Science Institute exists to power New Zealand’s transition to a circular, resilient, and prosperous bioeconomy. Through world-leading science, the Bioeconomy Science Institute drives innovation across agriculture, horticulture, forestry, aquaculture, biotechnology, and manufacturing. It protects and enhances ecosystems, strengthens biosecurity and climate resilience, and develops cutting-edge bio-based products and technologies.
About the Role
Topic: Detecting and Characterising Parental Contamination in Open-Pollinated Orchards
Supervisors:
- Prof Phillip Wilcox (Mathematics and Statistics, Otago)
- Dr Ken Dodds (Bioeconomy Science Institute*, Invermay, Mosgiel)
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Funding:
One-year domestic tuition fees plus stipend of $NZ22,000, contributed by the Radiata Pine Breeding Company (Christchurch).
Open-pollinated orchards are often used to multiply up genetically improved plants and generate seeds for commercial populations. These orchards rely on natural pollination, and the intention is that the pollen is from trees within the orchard. Sometimes pollen is carried from outside the orchard ("contamination") and is of unknown genetic merit, devaluing the seed.
This project will look at methods and strategies for estimating the contamination rate using genotyping. The project will consider sampling strategies, genotyping requirements and options, and completeness of parental genotyping. It may involve both simulation and actual datasets. It may also consider spatial effects whereby the contamination rate differs across the orchard and relate this to environmental and management factors.
About You
- A Bachelor of Science with Honours or the Postgraduate Diploma in Science that includes a thesis or dissertation.
- Must be eligible to enrol in a MSc in genetics or statistics at the University of Otago (average undergraduate grade of B+).
- Strong communication skills, especially writing.
- Effective interpersonal and critical thinking skills.
- Demonstrated capacity for collaborative work.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Apply Now!
If you are interested in applying, please click on the link, which will allow you to upload a Cover Letter and CV. In your one-page (maximum) Cover Letter, please outline the following:
- Your motivation in applying.
- Why you feel you are a good fit for the role.
- What specific experience and skills you will bring to the role.
- Any other elements you would like us to consider in your application.
For further information regarding your application please contact Ken Dodds at ken.dodds@agresearch.co.nz.
Note: Interested candidates should apply at any time as this opportunity will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Therefore, this advertisement may close if a suitable candidate is found prior to 1 March 2027.
Applications close: 1 March 2027.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills