Postdoctoral Research Associate

About the Role

We would like to recruit an experienced postdoctoral researcher (PDRA) for one year in the first instance. The PDRA will work on genetic and multi-omic data (e.g. proteomic and methylation) generated by the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2) and funded by the Michael J. Fox Foundation. The projects will follow up Parkinson’s disease (PD) genome-wide association study (GWAS) findings, aiming to translate genetic signals into mechanistic insights and therapeutic targets, and to test their relevance across diverse ancestries.

The PDRA will work closely with the wider team, contributing to manuscripts for high-impact journals. They will join GP2’s global network of researchers, sharing analytical pipelines and contributing to a programme committed to equity and inclusivity.

About You

You should have a PhD in genetic epidemiology, statistical genetics, bioinformatics or a related quantitative discipline.

You should have experience of performing GWAS, analysing multi-omic data and integrating multi-omic with genetic data (e.g. pQTL analyses). Experience of applying methods such as Mendelian Randomisation, statistical fine-mapping, colocalisation or PWAS is highly desirable. You should be proficient in R and/or Python and have experience of working in HPC or cloud computing environments with reproducible pipelines. You should also have a good publication record appropriate to your career stage and communicate effectively in writing and in person. You should be comfortable working both independently, taking a leading role in data analysis, and as part of an international research team. 

Ideally, you will have experience working with PD datasets from different ancestry groups and a demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

About the School/Department/Institute/Project

The postholder will be based in the Centre for Preventive Neurology (CPN). The CPN performs research across neurological diseases, including dementia, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s Disease. This includes investigating causal pathways, genetic and environmental factors; creation of novel clinical cohorts and development of new tests; working towards exploring whether simple interventions can prevent or delay disease onset.

About Queen Mary

At Queen Mary University of London, we believe that a diversity of ideas helps us achieve the previously unthinkable.

Throughout our history, we’ve fostered social justice and improved lives through academic excellence. And we continue to live and breathe this spirit today, not because it’s simply ‘the right thing to do’ but for what it helps us achieve and the intellectual brilliance it delivers.

We continue to embrace diversity of thought and opinion in everything we do, in the belief that when views collide, disciplines interact, and perspectives intersect, truly original thought takes form.

Benefits

We offer competitive salaries, access to a generous pension scheme, 30 days’ leave per annum (pro-rata for part-time/fixed-term), a season ticket loan scheme and access to a comprehensive range of personal and professional development opportunities. In addition, we offer a range of work life balance and family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, and campus facilities.

Queen Mary’s commitment to our diverse and inclusive community is embedded in our appointments processes. Reasonable adjustments will be made at each stage of the recruitment process for any candidate with a disability. We are open to considering applications from candidates wishing to work flexibly.

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