Expires on: 04/01/2024
Description
Asgard archaea, are recognised as the closest prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes. Metagenomic recovery and analysis of Asgard genomes have allowed us to identify proteins within this group of prokaryotes that were previously considered exclusive eukaryotic signature proteins (ESPs). Despite recent descriptions of viruses and other mobile genetic elements (MGEs) infecting Asgard archaea, the impact of these interactions on eukaryogenesis and the development of ESPs remains largely unexplored.
In this PhD project, you will delve into the influence of MGEs on the evolution of Asgard archaea using forefront bioinformatics. Your work will include developing innovative computational methods to extract viral genomes from metagenomic datasets, creating novel approaches to associate viruses with their hosts, and establishing precise and reproducible methods for annotating viral genomes. During this project, you will join a dynamic and diverse research team in the Department of Microbiology at the Radboud Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences (RIBES), where you will have opportunities for collaboration and to provide viral information in different scientific contexts and contribute with a teaching workload up to 10% of your working time.
- The gross starting salary amounts to €2,770 per month based on a 38-hour working week, and will increase to €3,539 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
- You will receive 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus.
- You will be employed for an initial period of 18 months, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, the contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4 year contract) or 3.5 years (5 year contract).
Qualifications
- You hold a Master’s degree in Microbiology, Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or a related field.
- You are proficient in English and have good communication skills.You are enthusiastic, curious and open-minded.
- You have at least basic programming skills in languages such as Python, Bash, or R.
- You can work independently as well as in a team.
- You are enthusiastic, curious, and open-minded.
- Prior experience in microbiology research and environmental metagenomics is advantageous.
Application
You can apply until 1 April 2024, exclusively using the button below. Kindly address your application to Pedro Leão. Please fill in the application form and attach the following documents:
- A letter of motivation.
- Your CV.
The first round of interviews will take place on Monday 8 April. You would preferably begin employment as soon as possible. It offers a rough outline of what you can expect during the application process, how we handle your personal data and how we deal with internal and external candidates.