Annonce Post-Doc - Bioinformatics (France)

We are opening a postdoctoral position to work on a collaborative project between the Station of Experimental Ecology of the CNRS (French National Center for Scientific Research) and the Bioinformatics Plateform of the Genome Center in Toulouse (Plateforme GenoToul Bioinfo), France. The position is available for one year, renewable once.

The research developed at the Station of Experimental Ecology (http://www.ecoex-moulis.cnrs.fr/) aims to understand the impact of environmental changes (e.g., climate change) on natural populations, using species such as butterflies and lizards as model systems. In today’s rapidly evolving landscapes, we expect dispersal to play a particularly crucial role in allowing organisms to cope with changing environmental conditions, yet how, and how rapidly organisms may respond to selection on mobility remains currently unknown. Our aim is to improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the adaptive responses of organisms to increased selective pressures on mobility, in order to develop more realistic predictive models of population dynamics and species persistence.

The bioinformatics plateform is one of 12 plateforms of the Genome Center in Toulouse (http://bioinfo.genotoul.fr/), which assists research teams with data processing and data storage, and provides access to generalist and specialist data banks and bioinformatics software.

The postdoctoral position offered is funded by a French ANR grant obtained to better understand variations in the locomotor abilities of lizards, butterflies and frogs using genomic, transcriptional, physiological and ecological approaches.  To do so, we will be sequencing the transcriptomes of the lizard (Lacerta vivipara) and the butterfly (Pieris brassicae) using 454 technology, to use as references in future genomic studies. The successful candidate will work in close collaboration with both teams at the Station of Experimental Ecology and at the Bioinformatics Plateform and will be in charge of the assembly of the sequence data, identification of SNPs associated with phenotypic variation, and potentially, gene expression analyses of RNA seq data.

In addition, the successful candidate will be in charge of analyzing and interpreting results, and will also be involved in the writing of research reports and scientific papers.

Ideal candidates will have a Ph.D. in transcriptomics, bioinformatics, or other relevant field, proven research experience and a strong publication record.  Candidates should be comfortable working in a UNIX environment, have a strong programming background, be proficient in working with large datasets and have solid analytical, computing and statistical skills.

To apply for these positions, please send an email with a single collated PDF including (1) CV, (2) names and contact information of three references, (3) statement of research interests, to Michel Baguette (baguette@mnhn.fr) by January 15, 2012. The position is expected to start in April/May 2012.