PhD Position (m/f/d) in Invertebrate Genomics / Bioinformatics

Tätigkeitsprofil:

EuroWorm is a new interdisciplinary project that unites museum-based researchers specializing in marine segmented worms (Annelida) with comparative genomics experts. Its goal is to better understand European biodiversity using cutting-edge molecular and computational techniques, accelerate global biodiversity discovery through open museum data, and unravel the evolutionary history of Annelida – a diverse, ecologically important, and globally distributed but still understudied animal phylum.

The successful candidate will investigate the genomic basis of evolutionary novelties in marine annelids, including generating de novo genome assemblies from polychaete species. Comparative genomics will be used to address questions relating to evolutionary relationships and biomineralization in Annelida.

This position is funded through the Leibniz Collaborative Excellence Programme, with strong ties to LIB Hamburg, Georg-August-University Göttingen, and the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University of Bonn. The PhD position will be based at Senckenberg in Frankfurt, and the degree will be awarded by the University of Bonn, an internationally recognized University of Excellence with a 200-year history, ~31,500 students, over 6,000 staff, and a broad and renowned research profile.

Your tasks

• Conduct essential laboratory work (e.g. DNA extraction, sample QC, basic library preparation)
• Assemble and annotate high-quality genomes of polychaete species using state-of-the-art sequencing technologies and computational infrastructure
• Perform comparative genomic analyses, including phylogenomics
• Conduct independent research in annelid genomics in close collaboration with project partners
• Contribute to joint publications, data management, and project-wide integration of genomic resources
• Undertake occasional international trips to visit collaborators, present at scientific conferences, and actively participate in on-site sample collection

Anforderungsprofil:

Your profile

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in biology, zoology, bioinformatics, genomics, or a related field
• Strong interest in biodiversity, marine invertebrates, and answering evolutionary questions with comparative genomic analyses
• Experience with formulating scientific questions, planning and executing a research project
• Proficiency in common bioinformatics tools (command line-based) and scripting languages such as R, Python, Unix/shell
• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Ability to work both independently and in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment

Desirable skills

The following qualifications would be considered an asset. We explicitly encourage candidates to apply even if they do not meet these additional criteria.

• Experience in preparing tissue samples for molecular work, including the extraction of high-molecular weight DNA and RNA
• Preparation of next-generation sequencing (NGS) libraries, particularly PacBio and Arima Hi-C libraries
• Experience with long-read sequencing data and hybrid assembly strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in genomics, genome assembly, and/or annotation, ideally with non-model organisms and in bioinformatic analyses of large data sets
• Familiarity with genome quality assessment, contamination screening, and troubleshooting of sequencing datasets
• Familiarity with phylogenomic pipelines and comparative genomics workflows