Research in this position will complement and build on existing strengths in PMB, with opportunities for collaboration through our existing partnerships, e.g. the Innovative Genomics Institute, the Energy & Biosciences Institute, the International Bioeconomy & Macroalgae Center, the Plant Gene Expression Center, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the Berkeley Food Institute, the Joint Genomics Institute, and the Joint Bioenergy Institute, and other campus and national lab partners. The scope of the position spans, but is not limited to: plant-microbiome or macroalgae-microbiome interactions in the context of pathogen defense (viral, bacterial, or fungal disease); soil microbial communities and their role in reducing agricultural dependence on pesticides, fertilizers, and greenhouse gas emissions; and microbial associations with macroalgae relevant to cultivation, health, and climate resilience in the emerging bioeconomy.