BOL

Vienna Biocenter are seeking two postdoctoral researchers to join our team and work on the ERC funded project "METASCALE: Modes of genome evolution during major metazoan transitions". The task of both positions will be to study co-evolutionary trends within animal genomes and their association with the emergence of new gene regulation. Our group employs methods of comparative and regulatory genomics to study the regulatory impact of transitions in animal genome architecture. More recently, we have identified a major genome reorganization in the "smart" coleoid cephalopod molluscs (squid, octopus, cuttlefish) that, together with other genomic changes, potentially comprises a unique path or mode of genome evolution among animals. We are thus interested in quantifying these modes of genome evolution across all available animal genomes and to test whether their shifts are associated with the emergence of novel regulation (e.g., in cephalopods). One of our main model species is the Hawaiian bobtail squid species Euprymna scolopes. The tasks of the two candidates will be complimentary and highly collaborative with one position focusing on comparative genomics analyses across all metazoans and the other position on regulatory genomics in the squid. A solid background in in bioinformatics and comparative genomics is highly desired for the first position, whereas the second position will benefit from experience in molecular and regulatory genomics methods such as HiC, ATAC-seq, RNA-seq or single cell transcriptomics.

The postdocs will join an international group and network of researchers at the University of Vienna studying a diverse range of species and questions in molecular evolution, development, morphology and genomics. Our group is also part of the large evolVienna network of more than 50 evolutionary biology labs in Vienna, across several universities and research institutes. Our Faculty will be relocating to a new campus at the Vienna Biocenter in summer 2021 (https://biologiezentrum.univie.ac.at/en/. Vienna is a vibrant historic European capital with a high QOL. Information about postdoctoral salaries in Austria can be found on this webpage: https://www.fwf.ac.at/en/research-funding/personnel-costs/

Earliest start date will be after July 2021. Initial term of employment is for two years with the possibility of extension. Remote working, at least initially, is a possibility.

Requirements:
- PhD degree or equivalent by the start date
- Publishing record in peer-reviewed journals or evidence thereof
- At least 2 letters of support

Applications including a letter of motivation should be submitted via the Job Center to the University of Vienna (https://personalwesen.univie.ac.at/en/jobs-recruiting/job-center/,
job reference number 11615).

Application deadline: January 15th 2021.
Application link: https://univis.univie.ac.at/ebewerbung