Postdoctoral Fellow/ Senior PDF - Microbial Genomics and Evolutionary Epidemiology

Wellcome Sanger Institute; Hinxton; Hybrid; GBP 68,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research institute in Hinxton seeks a Postdoctoral Fellow to work on mathematical modeling of genomic data. Responsibilities include analyzing bacterial genomics and integrating large datasets to enhance our understanding of microbial evolution. Candidates should have a relevant Ph.D. and strong coding skills in R or Python. The position offers competitive benefits including opportunities for career development within a supportive, inclusive environment.

Benefits

Access to unique datasets

Collaborative work environment

Career development programs

Qualifications

• Experience developing open source for research projects.
• Experience in mutagenesis and genetic screens in bacteria.
• Background in epidemiology, microbiology, or evolutionary biology.

Responsibilities

• Join an interdisciplinary team to analyze bacterial evolution.
• Develop and maintain methods for analyzing bacterial genomics data.
• Contribute to integration of large-scale datasets.

Skills

R

Python

Bioinformatics

Statistical analysis

Microbiology knowledge

Education

Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Biology, Microbiology, Epidemiology, Bioinformatics, ML/AI, Genomics or Statistics

Job description

Role Overview

This role will focus on mathematical modelling of genomic and metagenomic data to analyse dynamic systems, including evolving genomes, bacterial communities, and health systems. The position is suitable for an individual with a strong quantitative or computational background and interested in the research areas cited, such as Croucher et al, Corander et al and Harrow et al.

The position is based in the Bacterial Genomics and Evolution team at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, a world‑leading research group investigating computational and experimental genomic approaches to understand bacterial evolution and spread.

Responsibilities and Focus

You will join an interdisciplinary team of microbiologists, bioinformaticians and modellers to use genomics‑driven innovation to transform our understanding of bacterial evolution in order to better control, prevent and treat infectious diseases. You will develop and maintain methods for analysing bacterial genomics data, be involved in mutagenesis and genetic screens in bacteria and contribute to the integration of large‑scale metagenomic, surveillance, immunological and experimental datasets.

Essential Technical Skills

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Biology, Microbiology, Epidemiology, Bioinformatics, ML/AI, Genomics or Statistics, or being on track to be awarded a Ph.D. within 6 months of starting the role
• Experience writing code in R and/or Python, including developing open source for research projects
• Experience of mutagenesis and genetic screens in bacteria
• Experience of analysing bacterial genomics data
• Background in epidemiology, microbiology or evolutionary biology

Essential Competencies and Behaviours

• Proven ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of persons of differing level, ability and knowledge
• Team player with the ability to work with others in a collegiate and collaborative environment
• Commitment to personal development and updating of knowledge and skills
• Ability to prioritise, multi‑task and work independently
• Detail‑oriented, strong organisational and problem‑solving skills
• Foster an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive and diversity is celebrated

Additional Skills for Senior Postdoctoral Fellow

• Substantial previous post‑doctoral experience, and published evidence of research and/or being awarded funding in a relevant field
• Sufficient experience of the research field to immediately begin driving the programme
• Proven ability to work independently, formulate research questions, and deliver research projects
• Demonstrable good time management and project management skills

What We Offer

• Access to unique in‑house datasets and world‑class computational infrastructure
• Opportunities to co‑lead high‑impact publications and present at top ML and genomics conferences
• Collaborative and inclusive environment with strong mentorship culture
• Access to internal training, workshops, and career development resources through our Postdoctoral Fellow Programme

Hybrid Working

We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work‑life balance, with more focused time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have a supportive culture with the following staff networks: LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others. We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work do their best work. That is why we're committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

Benefits

We are proud to deliver an award‑winning campus‑wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work‑related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute. Sanger Institute became a signatory of the International Technician Commitment initiative in March 2018. The Technician Commitment aims to empower and ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.

£67,028 per year - estimated. Permanent Full‑time. New. We are hiring three Postdoctoral Fellows/Senior Postdoctoral Fellows on three‑year contracts across experience levels to build a new interdisciplinary team at the forefront of microbial genomics and evolutionary epidemiology. Each will lead innovative projects across different aspects of pathogen genomics, integrating large‑scale metagenomic, surveillance, immunological and experimental datasets with novel methodologies to improve our abilities to prevent and treat disease.

Applicants should be enthusiastic about data analysis, evolutionary biology, and genomic epidemiology. If you would like to be considered for more than one position, please submit a single application and let us know which roles interest you in your cover letter. Available Research Focus Areas: 1. Automating pathogen‑agnostic genomic epidemiology analyses. This role will focus on integrating available sequence data with domain‑specific knowledge and statistical methods to generate methods for automating inference across bacterial genomic epidemiology datasets. The most relevant publications are Lees et al., Croucher et al., and D'Aeth et al.