Postdoctoral Research Associate

**About the role**





A position is available for a highly motivated Postdoctoral Research Associate
with expertise in bioinformatics to join the research groups led by a/Prof
Carlo Rinaldi and Prof Stephan Sanders at the University of Oxford. The groups
focus on genetic causes of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders with
the goal to develop cutting-edge genetic therapies for these disorders with
bench-to-bedside programs that include bioinformatics, functional genomics,
therapeutic development, stem cell modelling, and clinical trials.





Enhancers play a pivotal role in governing gene expression, and their
disruption is increasingly recognized as a therapeutic target for disorders.
This is an exciting opportunity for a postdoctoral scientist to help lead a
project focusing on interrogating enhancer function in the context of
neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders, with the goal of precisely
modulate enhancer activity to offer treatment opportunities for these
disorders via modulating gene expression. The project will apply a wide
variety of bioinformatic and statistical techniques to bulk and single nuclei
functional genomic data generated by our teams (e.g., ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, ATAC-
seq). Analysis will be performed on collaborative cloud computing environments
using the extensive computing infrastructure developed by the Sanders Lab
informatics team.





The successful candidate will be involved with all aspects of the data
processing analysis including experimental design, analysis, interpretation,
and dissemination. The post holder will work at the newly built Institute of
Developmental and Regenerative Medicine (IDRM) at the Old Road/Churchill
Campus of University of Oxford in the adjacent laboratories of A/Prof Carlo
Rinaldi and Prof Stephan Sanders. She/he will be supported by their existing
collaborative teams that include programmers, bioinformatic postdocs, PhD
candidates, and research assistants.





Career Development: The post holder will be able to receive training in
collaborating labs in order to benefit from interaction with researchers in
diverse environments. She/he will be encouraged to attend training and
research skill courses provided by the University of Oxford. There will be
opportunities for contributing to and leading grant applications, if
appropriate, as well as being encouraged to submit work for presentation at
national and international conferences. In addition, experience gained by
supervision and mentoring of junior members in the lab will be useful for
career development. The successful applicant will be expected to provide
guidance and assistance to other researchers in the group and students, help
in the preparation of scientific publications, and represent the group at
public engagement events.





**About the applicant**





This is a highly collaborative position, so excellent communication and
interpersonal skills are essential. Applicants will need to hold a PhD or
equivalent in Genetics, Biostatistics, Computational Biology, or a related
subject. She/he will need to have demonstrated proficiency in computer
programming (Python or R preferred), high-performance computing environments,
human genetics, biostatistics, and/or bioinformatics leading to impactful
publications and experiencing in analysing ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, or ATAC-seq
data.





**Application Process**



You will be required to upload a CV and Supporting Statement as part of your
online application. The Supporting Statement should include a cover letter and
should also clearly describe how you meet each of the selection criteria
listed in the job description. Click here for information and advice on
writing an effective Supporting Statement. To discuss the post in more detail,
please contact Carlo Rinaldi at carlo.rinaldi@idrm.ox.ac.uk and/or Stephan
Sanders at stephan.sanders@idrm.ox.ac.uk .





Only online applications received before 12.00 midday on 02nd April 2024 will
be considered. Interviews will be held as soon as possible thereafter.