Research Associate / PhD candidate (m/f/d)

The Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany, offers the position of a

Research Associate / PhD candidate (m/f/d) "Genomic tracking of zoonotic bacterial pathogens"

in the group Microbial Genome Research. The position is part-time (65%) and initially limited to 3 years. The salary level will be TV-L 13. Starting date will be as soon as possible.

The Leibniz Institute DSMZ (www.dsmz.de) leads the Leibniz Science Campus EcoPath (Evolutionary Ecology of Zoonotic Pathogens during Agricultural Transformations), involving two universities and four non-university research institutions in Braunschweig, Hannover and Göttingen. This research consortium will analyse the mechanisms that allow the persistence and proliferation of zoonotic pathogens in the environment. It will investigate the environmental niches and reservoirs of several pathogenic bacteria and viruses, the ecological drivers of their abundance and dispersal, and potential links to livestock production. The research is based on the One Health approach, which accounts for the interaction of humans, animals and the environment. All research is carried out as cooperative projects between several partner institutes.

Your tasks

• bioinformatic analyses of large-scale genomic and metagenomic sequence data
• investigation of pathogen transmission and spread in a global context
• statistical analyses of spatiotemporal distributions of pathogens
• phylogenetic analyses and comparison of genetic traits
• bacteriological and molecular biological detection of bacterial pathogens
• interdisciplinary collaborations, including the scientific support of guest researchers and visits at partner institutes
• preparation of scientific publications and presentations
• participation in the network of the Leibniz Science Campus

Your qualifications

• Master's level university degree in the life sciences, or related
• strong interest in population genetics and bioinformatics is essential
• basic programming skills (e. g. Python, R)
• experience with microbiological and molecular biological methods is a plus
• good command of English
• class B driving license

Our benefits

• state-of-the-art laboratories with high-throughput sequencers (Pacific Biosciences, Illumina)
• dedicated, powerful bioinformatics server infrastructure for data analysis
• interdisciplinary working environment and very good conditions for developing your scientific career and networks
• doctorate within a structured program

The DSMZ offers a lively, international research environment with well-equipped laboratories and computational facilities. The DSMZ strives to increase the proportion of female scientists and encourage female candidates specifically to apply. Disabled applicants with identical technical and personal qualification will be preferentially selected. The DSMZ is an equal opportunity employer. DSMZ supports balanced work-life career development and holds the certificate of the audit berufundfamilie.

For further information and more detailed project descriptions please contact Prof. Dr. Ulrich Nübel (ulrich.nuebel(at)dsmz.de). Please send your complete application documents including a CV, motivation letter, copies of certificates, and contact details of two academic referees with application number 19/24 in a single pdf file to bewerbung(at)dsmz.de.

The deadline for this application is 2nd August 2024, but we may continue to review applications until the position is filled.

www.dsmz.de