BACKGROUND

The Regulatory Genomics Laboratory at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Muenster, Germany is offering a Zencode-ITN PhD Position in Epigenetics and Computational Biology (position code 04-2015).

The Laboratory, headed by Juan M Vaquerizas, seeks to appoint a highly motivated scientist to work on computational analyses of genome organisation and evolution as part of the Zencode-ITN (http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/zencode-itn). The scientific focus of the Zencode-ITN consortium is to understand genome regulation through combined experimental and computational approaches in a model vertebrate. In particular, the successful candidate will analyse genome-wide gene expression and chromatin binding datasets at early stages of zebrafish embryonic development to investigate how developmental gene expression programmes are deployed. The project will run in close collaboration with Ferenc Mueller and Boris Lenhard's labs, and will involve research stints in laboratories in the UK and Japan, and industrial training at BGI Europe.

REQUIREMENTS

We are looking for enthusiastic and talented PhD students with a Masters degree in molecular biology, bioinformatics, computer science, statistics, mathematics, or related fields, and with a strong drive to excel in a highly international environment. Previous experience in genome-wide data analysis (eg, RNA-seq or ChIP-seq) will be a significant advantage.

TERMS

Applicants of any nationality must, at the time of recruitment (1 September 2015) be in the first 4 years (full-time equivalent) of their research careers after their degree, which would entitle them to embark on a doctorate. Due to mobility requirement, only individuals who have not been resident in the host country for more than 12 months in the last 3 years may apply. The three-year position will be funded according to the regulations of the "Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions", a EU-framework program for research and innovation.

LOCALE

The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine offers a highly international and stimulating research environment with state-of-the-art equipment and core facilities for genomics, proteomics and cell biology. The Institute is located in Muenster (http://www.muenster.de/en/), one of the European Green Capitals and former UN's `The World's Most Liveable City' awardee. Extra administrative help will be available for foreign scientists. English is the working language in the Institute.

More details about the Vaquerizas Lab and the Institute can be found at http://www.vaquerizaslab.org, http://www.mpi-muenster.mpg.de/22118/vaquerizas and http://www.mpi-muenster.mpg.de/2377/en.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications should be sent as a single pdf file by email to career[at]mpi-muenster.mpg.de by 27 March 2015 at the latest. These should include a cover letter explaining your motivation to join this project, a full CV (including full transcripts from the BSc/MSc degrees), a statement of past research (MSc Thesis) and the contact details of two academic referees. Incomplete applications will not be considered. For informal queries about the project or Zencode-ITN, please contact Juan M Vaquerizas at jmv[at]mpi-muenster.mpg.de.

DEADLINE

27 March 2015

POLICY

The Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.