Postdoc­toral Re­searcher in Computational Biology, Bioin­form­at­ics and Ge­net­ics

Dr. Pasi Rastas at the Institute of Biotechnology, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Finland, is inviting applications for post-doctoral researcher in the area of computational biology, bioinformatics and genetics. We are seeking for curious, dedicated and enthusiastic scientist to work on genetic recombination via linkage maps on multiple species.

The Institute of Biotechnology is a research institute at Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, located in the Viikki Science park. The Institute harbours ~appr. 35 research groups and 250 researchers, and it operates at the highest international level. For more information on the Institute, please visit https://www.helsinki.fi/en/hilife-institute-of-biotechnology . The Institute and the University have excellent infrastructure for computational work and for collaboration.

The post-doctoral applicant should hold a PhD in a relevant subject, such as biology, bioinformatics, computer science, statistics, etc. Also applicants finishing their degree will be considered (with doctoral student salary level until PhD degree obtained) . Strong experience in computational science, genetic data analysis, genomics, population genetics and phylogenetics are valued as well as good communication skills. The working language is English; knowledge of Finnish is not a requirement.

The research plan is to characterise and study recombination variation on many species from available public data. The work includes applying, developing and refining the linkage mapping pipelines based on Lep-MAP3 and Lep-Anchor software. New features to consider include, e.g. polyploid species, complex family structures and QTL mapping. The obtained results will be published in a database named ‘1000 linkage maps project’. Currently, such resource is not available, and the diversity of used methods, procedures and data makes it difficult to obtain comparable recombination estimates from the literature.

This is a great opportunity to work on linkage mapping and obtain in-depth technical skills in the research area. The position will provide excellent opportunities for collaboration both within and outside the Institute and the University. There is financial possibilities to visit and collaborate with other groups outside the University of Helsinki.

The postdoctoral position is initially limited to 2 years, with a possibility of extension. The salary will be based on the University salary scheme (level 5 for a postdoctoral position) for teaching and research personnel composed of both task specific and personal performance component. The position is available immediately or as agreed, with preferred latest starting date being Jan 2022.

Application should include the following documents as a single pdf file: CV (2 pages), list of publications, and a motivation letter (1 page) including a description of your research interests. You may also list at most two referees with contact details. Please submit your application, together with the required pdf attachment, through the University of Helsinki electronic recruitment system by clicking on the ‘Apply for job’ button. Internal applicants (current employees of the University of Helsinki) should submit their applications through the SAP HR portal. For technical support regarding the recruitment system, please contact ‘[email protected] ’.

The deadline for the applications is 3rd of October, 2021, or until suitable candidate have been found. Please don’t hesitate to ask questions about the position from the undersigned.

Cheers,
Dr. Pasi Rastas ([email protected] )

References

P Rastas: Lep-Anchor: automated construction of linkage map anchored haploid genomes. Bioinform. 36(8): 2359-2364 (2020)
P Rastas: Lep-MAP3: robust linkage mapping even for low-coverage whole genome sequencing data. Bioinform. 33(23): 3726-3732 (2017)
Stapley J, et al. Variation in recombination frequency and distribution across eukaryotes: patterns and processes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 372(1736):20160455 (2017)

Finland is a member of the EU, has high quality free schooling (also in English), generous family benefits and healthcare, and was recently ranked as the best country in the world for expat families and in the world’s top ten most livable cities. Finland and the Helsinki region possess top expertise in sciences in terms of a vibrant talent pool, leading research, strong support services and functioning collaboration networks. For more information about working at the University of Helsinki and living in Finland, please see helsinki.fi/en/university/working-at-the-university .

Helsinki Institute of Life Science (HiLIFE) is a new institute established in 2017 that supports high quality life science research across the University campuses and faculties. HiLIFE builds on existing strengths and new recruits and partnerships to create an attractive international environment for researchers to solve grand challenges in health, food, and environment. HiLIFE coordinates research infrastructures in life sciences and provides research-based interdisciplinary training.

The University of Helsinki, founded in 1640, is one of the world’s leading universities for multidisciplinary research. The university has an international academic community of 40,000 students and staff members. The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care and health insurance, sports facilities, and professional development opportunities. The International Staff Services office assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and life in Finland.

Due date

03.10.2021 23:59 EEST