Researcher in computational biology / molecular phylogenetics

The University of Gothenburg tackles society’s challenges with diverse knowledge. 47 500 students and 6 400 employees make the university a large and inspiring place to work and study. Strong research and attractive study programmes attract scientists and students from around the world. With new knowledge and new perspectives, the University contributes to a better future.

The Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences is the host of the Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre. The Centre has two main goals: to further develop biodiversity research, and to bridge the gap between scientists, the public and industry. The working language is English. At the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences we have teaching and research activities that stretch from the alpine ecosystem, through forests, cultivated land and streams, all the way into the marine environment. In these environments we study different levels of biological organisation from genes, individuals and populations, to communities and ecosystems. We work within ecology, evolution, physiology, systematics and combinations of these fields in order to understand the impact of natural and anthropogenic changes of the environment.

The current position is placed at Gothenburg Botanical garden with flexibility for spending time between Stockholm (Swedish Museum of Natural History and the Royal Institute of Technology) and London (Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew). Whenever possible, international collaborations will be carried out through video-conferencing to reduce environmental impact.

Project description
The rapid increase in publicly available DNA sequence data now offers exciting opportunities for building the ‘Tree of Life’ (phylogenies) that establishes the relationships and temporal origins of all living organisms. Although several attempts are being made to build comprehensive molecular phylogenies, a major challenge remains in how to effectively add newly generated sequences to such trees without the need to start from scratch every time.

This project – “Online phylogenetics” – will take advantage of emerging Sequential Monte Carlo techniques to add new sequences to existing trees under a fully Bayesian framework. It will then validate the method by building a continuously updating phylogenetic tree for all plant species sequenced to date.

The project is a collaboration among internationally leading researchers at the University of Gothenburg (Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre), the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, the Swedish Museum of Natural History, the University of Stockholm, the Royal Institute of Technology, Aarhus University and the University of Michigan. Funding is provided through a competitive grant from the Swedish Research Council.

Job assignments
This employment includes the following tasks: further development and/or testing of software for phylogenetic analysis; responsibility for managing own workload; production of scientific articles; effective communication across the team and beyond; among other assignments depending on the candidate’s skills and interests in relation to the project’s objectives. 

Eligibility
The applicant must hold a PhD degree in an area relevant for the tasks at hand (e.g., computational biology, molecular phylogenetics, bioinformatics) or a foreign exam substantially equivalent to a PhD degree in a relevant subject. The exam must be finished before closing date for this announcement.

We want to actively promote equality, diversity and inclusion in our research groups to reflect society at large. We particularly encourage applications from underrepresented genders, sexual orientation, backgrounds, ethnicities, etc.

Assessments
We are seeking a highly motivated person to take a leading role in this project. At least one of the following skills are crucial for this employment:


• Experience with probabilistic modelling and Bayesian inference
• Experience with advanced inference algorithms, such as Markov chain Monte Carlo or Sequential Monte Carlo
• Skills in functional or probabilistic programming languages

What is advantageous/ beneficial:


• Basic knowledge in biological systematics, taxonomy and/or molecular dating
• Experience handling DNA data for molecular phylogenetics, genomics or related fields

Excellent communication skills, written and spoken, in English are necessary since we work in an international environment.

The employment
This is a permanent employment, 100%, starting on September 1st, 2020 or upon agreement. Probationary period will be used.

 

How to apply
In order to apply for a position at the University of Gothenburg, you have to register an account in our online recruitment system. https://www.gu.se/english/about_the_university/job-opportunities/vacancies-details/?id=5426
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the job advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline. The selection of candidates is made on the basis of the qualifications registered in the application.

 


In connection to this recruitment, we have already decided which recruitment channels we should use. We therefore decline further contact with vendors, recruitment and staffing companies.