Postdoctoral researcher – Turun yliopisto
17.11.2023https://duunitori.fi/tyopaikat/tyo/postdoctoral-researcher-stsur-17512075
Job description
The Faculty of Science at the University of Turku invites applications for fixed term postdoctoral researcher position at the Department of Biology from 1.1.2024 to 31.12.2024. Employment starts on 1.1.2024 or as agreed. An extension of the contract is possible, subject to funding availability.
We are hiring a postdoctoral researcher in Functional Genomics into the Myanmar Timber Elephant Project led by professor Virpi Lummaa. The postdoctoral position is funded by the Research Council of Finland and will be based at the University of Turku, Finland. The project will be conducted in close collaboration with Camila Mazzoni’s group in the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research and the Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research, in Berlin, Germany, where the researcher is expected to perform at least one research visit.
Job description
The first phase of the postdoctoral position involves active participation in ongoing research related to Asian elephant population genomics and the analysis of the reference genome, with the valuable opportunity to contribute to their finalization and publication. The main goal of the project is to use cutting edge genomic and modelling methods, and a pre-existing diverse demographic data available for a large semi-captive population of Asian elephants with three distinct tusk morphs (long, short, none) to study the genetic basis of the tusk development, and the sex-specific selection pressures and evolutionary consequences of this trait in Asian elephants. The postdoctoral researcher will work on the genomic data already available, which includes the first annotated reference genome for the species, resequencing data for 67 individuals and RADseq data for 260 individuals. Besides, the researcher will be responsible for organizing the generation of new genomic data necessary to characterize genomic regions underlying phenotypic differences in tusk morphs. The work plan consists of the following tasks: processing and analysing whole genome and reduced representation genomic data using cutting edge analytical tools; performing bioinformatics analyses, mainly focused on genomic characterization and population and functional genomics; managing genomic data and computational resources for genomic data analysis, analyzing demographic data (survival, reproduction, health) for different tusk types, and writing scientific articles from the results.
The candidate should hold a doctorate degree in Biology or related areas, and a scientific and professional background that aligns with the following specific activities:
- Experience in research in functional genomics;
- Experience in using bioinformatics tools to analyze genomic DNA variation data, from population genomics to functional genomics;
- Experience in publishing research articles in international peer-reviewed scientific journals;
- Experience in managing and using genomic data and computational resources;
- Programming skills are valued;
- Fluent oral and written communication skills in English.
We value equality and diversity in our work community and encourage qualified applicants, regardless of background, to apply for our open positions.