Postdoc position on computational (meta)genome mining for natural products

Microorganisms represent an untapped resource natural bioactive compounds that can be applied as medicines, crop protection agents and bio-based products to support the green transition. They also play key roles in adaptation to challenging environments as well as to (host-)microbiome interactions. In this project, you will develop and employ state-of-the-art computational omics strategies to mine microbiomes for biosynthetic pathways towards antimicrobials, antioxidants and polysaccharides with functions of both fundamental and applied interest. Specifically, you will develop and/or apply algorithms to predict structures/functions of metabolites and associated biosynthetic gene clusters, as well as to predict their ecological roles.

This project is part of a larger European consortium, which will provide ample opportunities for collaboration. Specifically, extensive interactions and an exchange are planned with partners at ETH Zürich. In addition, there will be plenty of opportunities to collaborate with fellow postdocs and PhD students at the Bioinformatics chair group in Wageningen. In the end, the research is projected to lead to fundamental new insights into microbiome interactions, new or extended computational tools or strategies for genome mining, and novel lead compounds that can be taken up by consortium partners to attain societal impact.

Your duties and responsibilities include:

• Computational (meta)genome mining analysis of biosynthetic gene clusters
• Development or improvement of existing or new tools or strategies
• Collaboration with international partners

Your team:
You will work within the Bioinformatics chair group at Wageningen University, in the team of Marnix Medema. The expertise of the Medema research group within the Bioinformatics chair group lies in developing computational approaches to identify biosynthetic pathways and connect them to specific molecules and phenotypes.

Requirements:

You are an ambitious, enthusiastic team player and result-driven scientist with:

• a strong academic record (PhD) in bioinformatics or computational biology
• affinity with the study of microbiomes and metabolism
• demonstrable expertise in working with omics data:
  
  • proven proficiency in programming (in, e.g., Python)
  • basic to intermediate statistical and mathematical skills
• excellent oral and written communication skills in English

In our international working environment there is an increasing amount of communication in English. For this position it is about language level C1 .

You will work here
Wageningen UR has a global reputation for its ground-breaking research and innovative education in the fields of food and health, sustainable agrosystems, the rural environment, and societal development - all of which make an essential contribution to the quality of life, i.e. the supply of safe and healthy food and drink, on the one hand, and the chance to live, work and play in a balanced ecosystem with a large variety of plants and animals on the other. Within Wageningen UR, the Plant Sciences Group (PSG) brings together science education and scientific, strategic and applied research in the fields of biology, of plants in relation to their environment, of plant-related organisms and of plant production. This project will be carried out at the Bioinformatics Group within PSG. This research group focuses on fundamental and applied bioinformatics research in the green life sciences. In particular, they develop and apply novel computational methods for the analysis and integration of –omics data. The group has a strong track record in (integrative) computational omics analysis, algorithm development, machine learning and scientific data infrastructure. There are many national and international collaborations with researchers studying plant and microbe metabolism, biotechnology and genomics.

Salary Benefits:

Wageningen University & Research offers excellent terms of employment. A few highlights from our Collective Labour Agreement include:

• sabbatical leave, study leave, and partially paid parental leave;
• working hours that can be discussed and arranged so that they allow for the best possible work-life balance;
• there is a strong focus on vitality and you can make use of the sports facilities available on campus for a small fee;
• a fixed year-end bonus of 8.3%;
• excellent pension scheme.

In addition to these first-rate employee benefits, you will of course receive a good salary. Depending on your experience, we offer a competitive gross salary of between € 3.378,- and € 5.331,- for a full-time working week of 38 hours, in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreements for Dutch Universities (CAO-NU) (scale 10). Additionally, a contract for 0.8 or 0.9 FTE can be discussed. As for your contract, we initially offer a one-year contract that can be extended on good performance. Of course, we are happy to have a conversation with you if you have any questions about this.

Wageningen University & Research offers plenty of opportunities for growth and development, with a strong internal recruitment policy and excellent training programmes.

You will work on the greenest and most innovative campus in the Netherlands, in an international and open working environment. For 20 consecutive years, we have been voted the "best university" in the Netherlands! A place to be proud of.

Coming from abroad
Wageningen University & Research is the university and research centre for life sciences. The themes we deal with are relevant to everyone around the world and Wageningen, therefore, has a large international community and a lot to offer to international employees.

Because we expect you to work and live in the Netherlands, our team of advisors on Dutch immigration procedures will help you with the visa application procedures for yourself and, if applicable, for your family.
Feeling welcome also has everything to do with being well informed. Wageningen University & Research's International Community page contains practical information about what we can do to support international employees coming to Wageningen. Furthermore, our Welcome Center can assist you with any additional advice and information about for example housing, opening a bank account, dual career programs or schooling. Finally, certain categories of international staff may be eligible for a tax exemption on a part of their salary during the first five years in the Netherlands.

38 hours per week

Droevendaalsesteeg