Bioinformatician

Location: Heidelberg, Germany
Staff Category: Staff Member
Contract Duration: 3 years
Grading: 6, 7 or 8, depending on experience and qualifications
Closing Date: 11 January 2015
Reference Number: HD_00602

Job Description

The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is one of the highest ranked scientific research organisations in the world. The Headquarters Laboratory is located in Heidelberg (Germany), with additional sites in Grenoble (France), Hamburg (Germany), Hinxton (UK) and Monterotondo (Italy).

EMBL?s Genomic Core Facility, a service facility providing next-generation sequencing and other genomics methods to the EMBL scientific community, is looking for a Senior Bioinformatician to oversee the computational part of sequence data production as well as to develop and implement analysis pipelines for next-generation sequencing (NGS) data generated by the Facility. The successful candidate will deal with:

- sequencing data management (mainly Illumina HiSeq / MiSeq / NextSeq) tasks related to a multitude of exciting biological research projects conducted at EMBL and
- assistance with analyses of genomics data.

Management of sequencing data, quality control and analysis are the primary objectives of the position with a further focus on expanding and improving the computational infrastructure for sequence analysis to accommodate the latest developments in sequencing technology and computational architecture. Focus is also on processing of large-scale DNA and RNA sequencing data sets by means of applying, modifying and developing software tools to strengthen the current service infrastructure of EMBL. The main application areas are sequencing quality control, sequence alignment, gene expression analysis, genetic variant calling and sequence assembly in the context of various scientific research projects that are supported by the Genomics Core Facility and driven by EMBL research groups. The selected candidate will support EMBL research projects and contribute to tutoring and teaching activities. The work will be carried out in an international, interdisciplinary, and highly collaborative environment at the cutting edge of science with a range of possibilities to acquire new skills and techniques.
Qualifications and Experience

We are looking for candidate with a Ph.D degree in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics or related subject, with strong experience in computational data analysis, data management, and a good understanding of molecular genetics and genomic sequencing data. Exposure to the 3rd Generation sequencing technology is an advantage. Experience with the Linux/Unix shell and one scripting language, such as Perl or Python, will be essential. Solid skills in a high level programming language such as Java or C++, knowledge of database technologies and SQL and some experience with R statistics will be considered an asset as will experience of working with cloud computing. Practical know-how in the areas of MS-SQL, IIS and `coldfusion? are appreciated. Strong communication skills as well as the ability to interact with other scientists and to work in an international and interdisciplinary service team are essential.

Application Instructions
Please apply by clicking the 'Apply now' button.

Additional Information
EMBL is an inclusive, equal opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation.

Please note that appointments on fixed term contracts can be renewed, depending on circumstances at the time of the review.