A postdoctoral position is available in the research group offer Richard Neher at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel. Our group works on evolution of pathogenic viruses and bacteria with a focus on seasonal influenza virus, enteroviruses, and drug resistance evolution in bacteria. Research in our group combines population genetics, phylogenetics, mathematical models, and next-generation sequencing to understand the complex dynamics of host-pathogen interactions. We have pioneered different analysis and visualization tools. We are, for example, a co-developers of the platform nextstrain.org used to track and visualize viral and bacterial evolution.
Possible projects include (i) impact of reassortment/recombination on viral evolution, (ii) evolution of gene content and gene order of bacterial chromosomes or plasmids or (iii) bacterial drug resistance evolution in collaboration with experimental colleagues, or (iv) development of analysis and visualization tools for genomic epidemiology. The scope of the projects is flexible, can be tailored to the applicants interest and skills, and we are open to exciting new ideas.
What we offer
You would have the opportunity to pursue original research in a small, interactive, and interdisciplinary group that tackles diverse problems in computational biology. We are internationally well connected and collaborate with several other research groups in Basel and in different parts of the world. We have access to state of the art computing facilities, web lab space, and sufficient funding for conference travel and research expenses. Salaries are competitive.
Whom we are looking for
We are looking for a creative and collaborative person with a genuine interest in evolution and with either a
- a degree in physics, applied math, bioinformatics, computer science and strong interest in biology, or
- a life science degree and strong quantitative skills
Depending on the project, the following skills will help getting started:
- experience with next-generation sequencing data
- experience with population genetic models, epidemiological models, or phylogenetic inference
- data visualization and experience with javascript/d3
If you are excited about this opportunity but unsure whether your profile matches what we are looking for, please get in touch.
Application
Please send your cover letter, statement of research interests (max one page), CV, publication list, and contact information of three references as one pdf file to Richard Neher. Please state clearly in your cover letter what your main interests are and how you think it resonates with the work of our group. Reviewing of application will start on Dec 1st and continue until the position is filled.
Living and working in Basel
Quality of life in Basel is one of the highest worldwide. Basel is a very international city and a center of art, music, and research. The city is less than 5km from both France and Germany and an hour and a half from the Swiss Alps.
The Biozentrum of the University of Basel is one of the leading institutes worldwide for molecular and biomedical basic research. It is home to more than 30 research groups with scientists from over 40 countries. Research at the Biozentrum focuses on the areas of Cell Growth & Development, Infection Biology, Neurobiology, Structural Biology & Biophysics and Computational & Systems Biology. With its more than 500 employees, the Biozentrum is the largest department at the University of Basel’s Faculty of Science. Several other academic institutions are also in the city, including the Friedrich Miescher Institute, the ETH Zurich Biosystems Science and Engineering Department, and the Swiss Tropical Health Institute.