Laboratory Officer (Bioinformatics / Computational Biology)

Your group

The Vu group at EMBL Heidelberg is seeking a highly motivated bioinformatician or computational biologist to join the lab as a Laboratory Officer. The Vu group investigates the control principles and evolution of animal body size, using planarian flatworms as a model system and an interdisciplinary approach that integrates molecular biology and comparative functional genomics.

The successful candidate will play a central role in supporting the day-to-day operation of the laboratory, which fosters a welcoming, inclusive, and positive working environment. In addition, this position offers the opportunity to make original scientific contributions to ongoing and future research projects within the group.

Your role 

The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in developing computational workflows and performing downstream analyses of comparative bulk and single-cell genomic datasets, including whole-genome sequencing, scRNA-seq, and scATAC-seq data. This work will be carried out in close collaboration with both experimental and computational biologists within the lab, as well as with external collaborators.

In the role of Laboratory Officer, you will also contribute to the smooth running of the lab by onboarding new members, coordinating lab tasks, and managing reagent and equipment orders.

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Setting up computational workflows for genome and transcriptome assembly and annotation across different planarian species
• Developing pipelines for processing and analyzing bulk and single-cell genomic data (RNA-seq and ATAC-seq)
• Exploring and implementing data integration methods for cross-species comparisons of single-cell genomic data
• Analyzing single-cell datasets from multiple planarian species during growth to identify species-specific differences in allometry and associated molecular programs

You have 

Applicants should hold a Ph.D. in computer science, bioinformatics, biostatistics, or a related field, or have at least five years of professional experience as a computational biologist. Prior experience in genomics data analysis – including genome assembly and annotation, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, DNA-seq, or single-cell adaptations thereof – is essential.

Strong proficiency in R, scripting languages (e.g. Python), and the Unix/Linux command line is required, along with significant experience in statistical analysis and modeling. The successful candidate will be able to work independently, develop their own work plan, and collaborate effectively within a hybrid wet/dry lab environment.

You are organized, open-minded, and an enthusiastic communicator. The ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and to interact productively with diverse teams is essential. A working knowledge of English is required.

You may also have

• Experience with multi-omics data integration
• Familiarity with machine learning methods and approaches
• Previous experience working with non-model organisms
• An understanding of molecular and sequencing techniques used in single-cell genomics

Contract length:

3 years (renewable)

Salary:

Commensurate, depending on qualifications and experience

Why join us

EMBL is curiosity-driven, community-oriented and international. As an inclusive, equal opportunity employer, we believe that diversity enables us to collaborate more effectively and be innovative in our approaches. We are, therefore, committed to creating an inclusive and flexible culture - one where everyone can realise their full potential and make a positive contribution to our organisation. 

We encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing team – we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and personal experiences reflect the diversity of the populations that our science serves. We actively encourage applications from all genders and cultures, ethnic groups and all demographics to help us avoid perpetuating biases and oversights at this transformational point in our people strategy.

Enjoy lots of benefits:

• Financial incentives: Salary free of income tax, Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances

• Flexible working arrangements

• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)

• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to public holidays

• Relocation package including installation grant (if applicable)

• Campus life: Free shuttle bus (select sites), on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)

• Family benefits: Kindergarten (Heidelberg), 10 days of child sick leave, generous paid maternity/parental leave and monthly family & child allowances

• Benefits for international newcomers: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.

• For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page here

What else you need to know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Visit our International Applicants page, to find out more.

• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here.

• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and/or any other diverse backgrounds.

• How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.

Closing Date