Research Associate in Paleogenomics (Fixed Term)

The Durbin Group in the Department of Genetics is seeking a postdoctoral Research Associate with strong expertise in genomic bioinformatics, phylogenetics and ancient sedimentary DNA analysis to lead the analysis of ancient DNA datasets from a range of Arctic and Antarctic sites. These datasets include both sedimentary DNA and mammalian fossil DNA, and have been dated to more than a million years ago. The position is in collaboration with Professor Eske Willerslev, as part of the AEGIS (Ancient Environmental Genomics Initiative for Sustainability) joint project with the University of Copenhagen. The role will involve full responsibility for several projects, from initial data processing through to interpretation and publication. You will work closely with an interdisciplinary team of geologists, paleoecologists, and molecular biologists to integrate genomic data with broader environmental and temporal context. This is a unique opportunity to work on globally significant, deep-time datasets in a supportive and collaborative research environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the analysis of ancient DNA datasets from Arctic and Antarctic sedimentary and fossil sources, some dating back over one million years.Perform end-to-end genomic data processing, including quality control, assembly, annotation, and downstream bioinformatics analyses.
• Develop and apply statistical and computational methods for analysing paleogenomic data, including sequence evolution modelling.
• Organise and lead field expeditions to collect sediment cores and carry out subsequent subsampling for ancient DNA extraction.
• Coordinate closely with collaborators, including geologists, paleoecologists, and molecular biologists, to integrate genomic findings with environmental and temporal data.
• Take full ownership of assigned projects, driving them from conception through to interpretation and peer-reviewed publication.
• Present findings at internal meetings and international conferences, and contribute to outreach and interdisciplinary discussions.
• Maintain accurate and well-documented workflows, ensuring reproducibility and data integrity.
• Contribute to the development of novel software tools and pipelines tailored to ancient DNA research needs.
• Support a collaborative and inclusive research culture within the Durbin Group and the AEGIS consortium.

Fixed-term: The funds for this post are available until 31 March 2027 in the first instance.

To apply online for this vacancy and to view further information about the role, please click the 'Apply' button above. 

For informal enquiries about the role please contact Professor Richard Durbin rd109@cam.ac.uk

Please quote reference PC46200 on your application and in any correspondence about this vacancy.

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

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