Karolinska Institutet, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Kutter

The MTC conducts research and teaching in immunology, infection biology, cell biology and cancer. MTC has about 430 active employees, including 100 PhD students, 50 postdoctoral researchers and 26 professors. Key words are multidisciplinary, bridging, translational, national and international collaborations.

Research group
The research group of Dr Claudia Kutter seeks applications for a postdoctoral position (either computational or computational/experimental) in the field of functional and/or comparative genomics, chromatin and RNA biology. The Kutter lab has a track record in deciphering molecular mechanism by which noncoding RNAs (i.e. long noncoding, transfer and small RNA) regulate genes and genome structure in mammalian somatic tissue and in the germline (Ernst et al, NatComm, 2017; Rudolph et al, PLoS Genetics, 2016; Schmitt et al, Genome Research, 2014; Kutter et al, PLoS Genetics, 2012; Kutter et al, Nature Genetics 2011).

The research program for this position focuses on gene regulation during cell differentiation and disease progression in mouse and human. The roles of noncoding RNAs are interrogated genome- and transcriptome-wide by employing a combination of next generation sequencing technologies and high-throughput genetic screening approaches, developing computational methods, along with applying experimental techniques.

The group uses an integrative and collaborative approach, and works closely with computational and experimental groups at KI, Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab), and other local and international research groups. Frequent courses are provided on campus. Additional professional training is available through summer schools and workshops.

The laboratory is located at SciLifeLab on the Karolinska Institute campus in Stockholm. SciLifeLab offers an attractive research environment, provides state-of-the-art instrumentation and core facilities, and is home to the second largest sequencing cluster in Europe. SciLifeLab is a joint effort between Karolinska Institute, the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology, and Stockholm University. It hosts research groups with diverse backgrounds and expertise, creating a unique interface between basic biology, genomics, bioengineering, drug discovery, and translational medicine.

Duties
The successful applicant will develop and integrate novel transcriptome- and genome-wide computational methods (based on RNA- and ChIP-sequencing data) to study genomic sequence and epigenetic signatures (enhancer, promoters and polymerase activity) as well as the regulatory mechanisms of noncoding RNAs in mammalian cell lines. The work implies original research in computational biology, designing computational methods and implementing existing analytical pipelines to infer underlying molecular mechanisms. The post holder will take a strong lead in the project design and management, data generation and interpretation, and collaborate with other team members. The ideal candidate is expected to report the scientific results by writing scientific papers, attending scientific meetings, and effectively communicate with peers. The ability to work in a highly interdisciplinary and international environment, and to engage in continuous professional development is a must.

Key responsibilities:

  • Original research contributions as part of the group’s core program
  • Project leadership
  • Establishment of research methodologies
  • Analysis, management, communication and publishing of research findings and software tools
  • Active participations in academic research activities (group meetings, journal clubs, seminar participation, continuous training in form of workshops, supervision of junior staff)
  • Presenting at national and international scientific meetings

Entry requirements
Scholarships for postdoctoral qualification can be established for foreign researchers who place their qualifications in Sweden. The purpose of scholarships for postdoctoral qualification is to promote internationalization and contribute to research qualification after a doctorate or equivalent.
A scholarship for carrying out postdoctoral research can be granted for a maximum of two years within a four year period following the receipt of a doctoral degree or equivalent.
To be eligible for a postdoctoral scholarship, the person must have obtained a doctorate or a foreign degree deemed to be equivalent to a doctorate.

The head of the department determines whether their previous training and scholarly qualifications correspond to a Swedish doctorate or higher.

A strong background in genomics, computational biology, and/or statistics as well as experience in high-throughput genomic data analysis, extensive scripting and programming knowledge (Python, R/Bioconductor, Bash), data integration and regulatory network analysis, and data visualization is required. The candidate should be comfortable with version control systems like Git, Conda, Snakemake, R Markdown, Jupiter notebooks or Docker. Candidates wishing to combine computational and experimental approaches should be proficient in methodologies related to functional genomics (e.g ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, GRO-seq, HiC or equivalent).

Prior knowledge in eukaryotic RNA biology, gene regulation, and transcriptome-wide studies as well as retrieving and analysis of genome-wide data from public domains is an asset. The ideal candidate should be collaborative, scientifically adventurous, curiosity-driven, and should bring independent and original ideas into the project. Any previous records of independent research as well as productive interactions within a multi-disciplinary team environment (e.g. first- and/or co-author publications in high profile journals) are advantageous.

All applicants should be eager to learn new concepts and acquire new skills, have good communication skills, be proficient in spoken and written English, and work effectively with other group members and researchers from other fields.

Type of scholarship
The amount is tax free and it is set for twelve months at a time, paid out on a six months basis. In exceptional cases, shorter periods may be acceptable.

Assessment criteria

A selection will be made among qualified applicants using the following assessment criteria:

- documented subject knowledge of relevance to the area of research

- analytical skills, which may be assessed by a technical interview

- other documented knowledge or experience that may be relevant to doctoral studies in the subject

The qualifications of the applicants will be evaluated on an overall basis.

Application process

An application must contain the following documents in English:

  1. Letter of motivation and a summary of current work (about one page)
  2. Curriculum vitae andqualifications
  3. Complete publication list
  4. Contact information of three referees
  5. Copy of degree certificates
  6. If available verifications for crediting of illness, military service, work for labor unions or student organizations, parental leave or similar circumstances

For more information on the work of the laboratory, please visit https://www.scilifelab.se/researchers/claudia-kutter/ or http://ki.se/en/mtc/claudia-kutter-group

To make informal enquiries about the post, please contact Dr Claudia Kutter at claudia.kutter@ki.se

The application is to be submitted on the Varbi recruitment system.

First day of employment According to agreement
Reference number 2-3552/2019
Contact
  • Claudia Kutter, claudia.kutter@ki.se
Union representative
  • Biborka Bereczky Veress, SACO, 46 70-173 85 75
  • Niklas Andersson, OFR, niklas.andersson@ki.se
  • Henry Wölling, SEKO, 08-524 840 80
Published 18.Jun.2019
Last application date 09.Sep.2019 11:59 PM CEST

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