Postdoctoral Research Associate

University of Oxford; Oxford; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Oxford is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate for the OrthoFinder project. This full-time role will focus on enhancing the OrthoFinder method, pivotal in comparative genomics research. Candidates should have experience in data analysis and programming, motivated to contribute to groundbreaking biological studies.

Qualifications

• Prior experience in data analysis and visualization required.
• PhD-level scientists or software engineers encouraged to apply.
• Motivation to advance genomic research is essential.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement functionalities in the OrthoFinder method.
• Enhance usability and accessibility for comparative genomics analyses.
• Generate new evolutionary insights from OrthoFinder data.

Skills

Data analysis

Data visualization

Programming

Education

PhD in any discipline

Tools

Bokeh

Shiny

Taipy

Streamlit

Job description

About the role

Comparative genomics, and specifically our ability to identify which genes are related in different species, has revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. It enables us to reconstruct the tree-of-life on Earth, it allows us to reveal how biological function has evolved and is distributed on this tree, and it is the foundation that enables us to use model organisms to study health and disease. Accordingly, almost all of contemporary biological science research is critically dependent on our ability to identify which genes are related in different species. The Kelly lab has developed the OrthoFinder comparative genomic methods. OrthoFinder has become widely-used in comparative genomics research, it powers many popular databases of online genomic information, and has enabled and been cited by over 6,000 studies in the last five years. The Kelly lab is looking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Associate to work on the OrthoFinder project.

About you

The successful applicant will be responsible for developing and implementing additional functionality in the OrthoFinder method. Specifically, the successful applicant will focus on improving the usability and accessibility of the method to enhance user ability to perform analyses in comparative genomics, enable new analyses, and gain new evolutionary insights from data generated using OrthoFinder. The successful applicant should have prior experience in data analysis, data visualization, and preferably the development of interactive web-applications through approaches such as Bokeh, Shiny, Taipy, Streamlit etc. The successful applicant should be motivated and excited by the opportunity to help advance the capabilities of comparative genomic research community, and to use these tools to make new discoveries.

How to apply

The Kelly lab welcomes individuals with diverse career backgrounds - PhD-level scientists in any discipline with expertise in data and programming, or software engineers outside of academia looking to change career to biological research are particularly welcome to apply.

Where Covid-19 has resulted in substantial disruption to your work or research outputs, please explain this by providing an additional paragraph in your supporting statement.

The University of Oxford is committed to equality and valuing diversity. All applicants will be judged on merit, according to the selection criteria.

This post is full-time and fixed term for 3 years.

The role closes on Friday 4th July 2025 at 12 noon and interviews will be scheduled for mid to late July.

Contact Person :

HR Team

Vacancy ID :

180173

Contact Phone :

Closing Date & Time :

04-Jul-2025 12:00

Pay Scale :

RESEARCH GRADE 7

Contact Email :

[e-mail]

Salary (£) :

£38,674 - £46,913 per annum