Research Data and Software Engineer in Long and Short Read Medical Genomics

About the team/job

EMBL is seeking a Research Data and Software Engineer to join the new EMBL-wide Data Science Center and the Korbel research group of the Genome Biology Unit to actively participate in a portfolio of exciting projects in medical genomics – including projects that leverage short and long read genomic sequencing and graph-based genome approaches to foster advances in precision health. As part of TRUST-DNA, a BMBF-funded project, the successful candidate will provide software and data engineering support to design a cutting-edge data trustee model for the sharing of sensitive genomic health data to further international cohort-based genomics research. 

Your role

• You will support the development of a data trustee model for sensitive human genomic data
• You will make medical data available to national and international stakeholders via national archives, such as the German Human Genome-Phenome Archive (GHGA), the Federated European Genome-Phenome Archive (FEGA), and the European Genomic Data Infrastructure (GDI).
• You will additionally have the opportunity to be involved in supporting cutting edge research projects, including studies of thousands of human genomes sequenced with the latest cutting edge long read sequencing technologies
• You will be able to interact with a community of data science experts at all international sites of the EMBL

The successful applicant will additionally have the ability to constantly expand their skill set through a rich set of courses and conferences at the EMBL 

You have

• Either a PhD, or a MSc with several years of work experience in Biomedical Informatics, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics or a related field
• You have programming knowledge, such as in Python, and experience in designing application programming interfaces
• You are familiar with IT data infrastructure concepts and have a broad knowledge of data management tools
• Familiarity with analysis of long-read datasets, and with interpreting genetic variation in the form of pan-genome graphs will be considered as a plus
• Good communication skills and a positive attitude to contribute to a larger scientific network 

You might also have

• Expertise in cloud computing
• Expertise in data protection legislation 

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.

EMBL offers attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation with a very collegial and family-friendly working environment. Competitive salary and social security benefits, financial support for relocation, a relaxed culture, flexible work arrangements, professional development, an on-site nursery, canteen and other staff facilities make EMBL a great place to work. 

What else you need to know

The Korbel group at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is a ‘hybrid’ laboratory in which computational biologists and experimentalist collaborate tightly to obtain new insights into human disease and molecular mechanisms.

By combining experimental and computational approaches, including long-read sequencing, graph-based approaches, and single-cell sequencing technology, we aim to unravel determinants and consequences of germline and somatic genetic variation.

Our group is investigating mechanisms behind complex phenotypes in humans, ranging from common diseases including cancer to ageing. An overarching theme centres on the formation and selection of germline and somatic genetic variation in health and disease states, in particular genomic structural variation (SV).

• The contract duration is of 2 years. 
• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions.
• The working language of the institute is English.
• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought, therefore we welcome all individuals to apply.
• Job location: This role is based in Heidelberg, Germany. You will be required to relocate if you are based elsewhere and you will receive a generous relocation package to support you.
• How to apply: To apply, please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system, by clicking the 'Apply' button.