Position filled: Bioinformatics Trainee – EvoCELL Short-term Early Stage Researcher (MSCA)

About the team/job

The position is available from the EvoCELL Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (www.evocell-itn.eu). EvoCELL comprises 12 European partner laboratories working together to investigate the evolution of animal cell types by comparative whole-body single-cell RNA-seq approaches. The project entails testing and developing bioinformatic tools that allow tracking cell types and cell type families across animal phylogeny. We are looking for a bioinformatician to join forces to assist with bioinformatic analysis, which is key to the success of this innovative and exciting project.

Your role

The successful candidate will be trained to help analyse and build tools for the analysis and integration of single cell RNA-seq data collected from diverse marine animals by laboratories of the EvoCELL network. The researcher will be hosted in the Arendt lab at EMBL (Heidelberg, Germany) and cooperate with all EvoCELL labs across Europe.

The network, coordinated by EMBL Heidelberg, brings together 10 academic and 2 non-academic organizations from 6 European countries, including a company and a museum. Partners have complementary expertise in evolutionary developmental biology (EvoDevo), bioinformatics, functional neurobiology, and paleontology. In this unique environment the researcher will have the opportunity to take part in the network training activities and benefit from established collaborations.

You have

Prior experience writing code and performing data analysis in Python or R, as well as basic experience with Linux/Unix environments.

You might also have

Prior experience with phylogenetics, single-cell analysis, or analyzing RNA-seq data in an evolutionary or ecological context, and/or web development.

This is a 12-months position with a possibility of extension up to 20-24 months. Working language is English, therefore proficiency in this language is required.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to be eligible to apply for this position, candidates should have completed their Master studies (or the degree that allows them to embark in a PhD in their country of origin or in the hosting country), not longer than 4 years from the start of the fellowship. 

At the time of recruitment, the candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their recruiting organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to start of the project. Short stays such as holidays and/or compulsory national service are not taken into account. Candidates can be of any nationality, but are required to undertake transnational mobility. Candidates should ideally possess a Master’s degree in a relevant academic field, or a degree that allows them to embark in a PhD. Candidates must be within the first four years of their research career. Applications from candidates who already possess a doctoral degree will not be considered. Furthermore, this short-term position cannot lead to a PhD at EMBL.

Why join us

EMBL is an inclusive, equal opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation with a very collegial and family friendly working environment. The remuneration package consists of a competitive salary, a comprehensive pension scheme, medical, educational and other social benefits, as well as financial support for relocation and installation, including your family and the availability of an excellent childcare facility on campus.

What else you need to know

We are Europe’s flagship research laboratory for life sciences – an intergovernmental organisation performing scientific research in disciplines including molecular biology, physics, chemistry and computer science. We are an international, innovative and interdisciplinary laboratory with more than 1600 employees from many nations, operating across six sites, in Heidelberg (HQ), Barcelona, Hinxton near Cambridge, Hamburg, Grenoble and Rome.

Our mission is to offer vital services in training scientists, students and visitors at all levels; to develop new instruments and methods in the life sciences and actively engage in technology transfer activities, and to integrate European life science research.

Please note that appointments on fixed term contracts can be renewed, depending on circumstances at the time of the review.