Faculty of Life Sciences (BIOVIT) at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) is seeking to fill two vacant 2.0 - 2.5 years Postdoctoral–positions related to the analysis of long-read sequencing data from Norwegian pig and cattle breeds. The positions will be funded through CAUSATIVE (www.cigene.no/projects/causative/) which is a “Collaborative and Knowledge-building Project” between researchers in the Genome Biology Group at BIOVIT (www.cigene.no), and scientists working for Norway’s leading pig (www.norsvin.no) and cattle (www.geno.no) breeding companies.

Apply here!

The main goal of the project is to improve genomic resources, refine genome-based breeding tools and deepen our understanding of the impact of structural variants (SVs) on key traits in these breeds. The project will develop graph-genomes representing an exciting new horizon in genome-based breeding and this project represents a significant step forward leading towards the foundation for future, sustainable animal production.

We can offer an international, innovative and inspiring work environment with an emphasis on new technologies. The successful candidate will join the multidisciplinary Genome Biology research group, which possess expertise in genetics, evolutionary and comparative genomics, bioinformatics and systems biology. This group includes 2 full-time professors, 2 associate professors, 22 postdocs/researchers, 13 PhD students and 10 research technicians, teaming up within Centre for Integrative Genetics (CIGENE; www.cigene.no). CIGENE has a strong aqua- and agri- research profile, with key strengths in application of ‘omics’ data to understand the genetic architecture of complex traits. The group has a track-record in high-impact publishing and development of genomic resources for agricultural and marine species. The CIGENE lab includes state-of-the-art instrumentation for genotyping and sequencing allowing us to generate much of the data used for subsequent analysis.

Although employed by NMBU, the successful applicant(s) will work closely with the industrial partners who have a physical presence at BIOVIT and thereby gain valuable contacts with both academia and industry.

Main tasks The successful candidate(s) will be responsible for:

• managing and efficiently processing very large amounts of long-read sequencing data (nanopore) and other data types within NMBU’s HPC environment.
• applying the appropriate software for calling and cataloguing structural variants within long-read data and use this data to construct graph genomes and linear consensus references for cattle and pig.
• oversee the integration of graph-genomes with existing pipelines for imputation of genotypes and sequence data investigating the links between SV-data and complex traits

The successful candidate(s) will also be required to take a leading role in writing peer-reviewed articles, and actively disseminate and communicate findings from the project, and be willing to collaborate and assist students and other researchers at BIOVIT.

Competence Required Academic qualifications, either:

• The candidate must have completed a PhD degree in genomics, bioinformatics a closely related field. Or:
• The candidate must be close to completion of a degree in genomics, bioinformatics a closely related field, and document this fact with a letter (signed by them and their supervisor) stating that they will submit their evaluation thesis by 31-Dec 2022.

The following experiences and skills will be emphasized:

• Experience with setting up and critically evaluating bioinformatic pipelines.
• Experience with building genome assemblies based on long-read data using bioinformatic tools such as Flye, Canu etc.
• Experience with constructing genome graphs using tools such as PGGB or Minigraph, and critically evaluating their output
• Experience with genome annotation, accessing and using public data (e.g. mRNA) and experience with annotation “lift-over” from reference assemblies.
• Acquaintance with long-read structural variation calling tools such as Sniffles. A familiarity with quantitative genetics and with methods for imputation and Genome Wide Association Studies (GWAS).
• Proven track record of writing/contributing to scientific manuscripts in the fields of bioinformatics, genomics and/or applied genome science.

Personal qualities:

• Have excellent written and spoken English skills (proficiency in Norwegian is also an advantage).
• Be an honest and motivated team-player who is committed to being a part of a positive, collaborative, and supportive research culture.
• Display initiative, develop and communicate clear goals and be self-motivating.

Apply here!