BACKGROUND

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).

RESPONSIBILITIES

EMBL is looking for an expert in IT and Computational Biology who will actively participate in the development, deployment, and application of algorithms and software for analysis of big high-resolution imaging mass spectrometry data. This position is open in the framework of the European Horizon2020 research project METASPACE on bioinformatics for spatial metabolomics data that will be coordinated by Theodore Alexandrov, EMBL. The project will involve 8 partners from 6 countries including European Bioinformatics Institute, Imperial College London, Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie, and University of California San Diego and aims at creating novel computational methods and integrating them into a modern, cloud-based and open engine for spatial metabolomics.

You will be a critical part of a newly established, dynamic, international and interdisciplinary team with a range of possibilities to acquire new skills and learn new techniques. We work at the cutting edge of advanced imaging, mass spectrometry, metabolomics, and bioinformatics with the overall aim to create excellent tools at the interplay of these rapidly emerging fields that enable answering novel questions of biology and medicine, in particular through collaborating with excellent research groups and big industrial players. The facilities of the team range from a wet-lab equipped with a cutting-edge imaging mass spectrometer and open-source hardware equipment to a dry-lab with a sandbox 200-core cluster.

You will develop a cloud computing platform for analysis of big data generated by high-resolution imaging mass spectrometry and will be involved in integration of this platform into biomedical workflows of project partners as well as collaborators. You will be further involved in software development and data management tasks related to the big data research projects of the Alexandrov team.

REQUIREMENTS

We are looking for a university graduate with a degree in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics or Computer Science with strong programming skills and an educational background in or practical knowledge of modern frameworks for processing big data. The knowledge of Python will be essential. Having any of the following qualifications is a plus: experience with in-memory distributed computing (such as Apache Spark); knowledge of modern bioinformatics workflow management systems (such as Galaxy); hands-on experience with Amazon Web Services; experience in web development; solid skills in Java or C++; knowledge of Matlab; knowledge of data mining and visualization techniques, experience in developing efficient algorithms. Interest to applied science, excellent problem solving and strong communication skills as well as the ability to interact with scientists and to work in an international and interdisciplinary team are essential.

LOCALE

Heidelberg, Germany

COMPENSATION

Commensurate with experience and qualifications

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply online through http://www.embl.org/jobs
Reference Number: HD_00638

DEADLINE

12 April 2015