If you are interested in joining the group, please see below for when and how we are recruiting to fill positions. There are a lot of directions the lab can go in with some projects ready to dive into and others ready to be dreamt up. Our projects have dry (computational) and wet lab components, facilitating skill development in both aspects of research. We aim to conduct science in a productive, collaborative, and inclusive way. We look for lab members who want to contribute to a supportive environment and like working in funky systems.
For postdoc or graduate positions: Contact Dr. Carter with an attached resume/CV and an email concisely explaining your interest in plant-microbe biology, molecular biology, or microbiology research and the Carter Lab. You do not have to have been in a relevant lab before, but it is helpful to understand what goals you have and how your previous class/lab/life experience inspires your interest. Generic emails that do not seem relevant to the research directions of the lab may not receive a response.
Postdoc. We do not currently have funding secured for a postdoctoral position, but please reach out if you are interested in being hired on as a postdoc in the future as there may be grants in the works that could be prioritized or we can collaborate on a fellowship application.
Graduate students. Applications are accepted annually for the following fall semester, with priority given to those who apply to the programs’ January deadlines. Position availability depends on grant funding and department support – Dr. Carter will strive to be as transparent as possible during the recruitment process. The Carter Lab recruits through graduate programs available in the Department of Biological Sciences and the Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics. Additional information about the graduate school at UNC Charlotte. We do not anticipate accepting new students for Spring 2025 or Fall 2025 based on the current number of students in the lab.
For undergraduate positions: We consistently host undergraduate researchers to keep the lab running and to conduct their own research projects. More information on undergraduate research in the Department of Biological Sciences is here. All undergraduate researchers are compensated in course credit or hourly wage, based on their situational needs, but typically by enrolling in BIOL3900 or other course credit for at least their first semester in the lab. We do not anticipate accepting new students until Spring 2025 or Summer 2025 based on the current number of students in the lab. However, sometimes there are unexpected openings so please reach out to Dr. Carter to be considered for future positions, especially those during the academic year.
For high school interns: As a general policy, we do not take high school students as interns except through formalized programs. This is from an equity standpoint (who has the resources, time, and knowledge to ask for an internship then to make that work) as well as a logistics standpoint. Having minors volunteering in the lab with human and plant pathogens comes with a lot of safety issues we have to be vigilant about. Mentorship of students is something we have to be very judicious about as we already have many undergraduate students that we cannot accommodate based on our current resources and time.
A Statement on our Lab Community
We value and work towards an inclusive environment where everyone, including people of color, indigenous people, LGBTQ+ community members, disabled people, veterans, first generation and nontraditional students, and people of diverse faiths, are met where they are and given what they need to thrive. Though research and education come with difficulties, a lab environment should always be a system of support not a competitive, harsh space. In line with our college’s values and vision statement, we have community expectations about not only treating everyone with respect, but valuing the unique perspectives, knowledge, and skills that each member brings. Dr. Carter will advocate for mentees and enable exploration of independent projects, nominate them for awards, and facilitate their professional development, while connecting them with mentors and communities of relevant social identities or career interests. We acknowledge that life outside of the lab, whether career development, care responsibilities, or just hobbies, is important.