Research Assistant in Genomics - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC) at Karolinska Institutet 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.

Division
MTC is offering a laboratory technician position in the field of Genomics to work in the group of Dr. Vicent Pelechano. The group combines experimental and computational approaches to develop and apply novel genome-wide techniques to investigate eukaryotic transcription and gene Pelechano et al.Nature 2013, Chabbert et al. Mol. Syst. Biol. 2015, Pelechano et al. Cell 2015).

We are especially interested in understanding the regulatory mechanisms leading to the appearance of divergent gene expression programs in clonal cell population (http://pelechanolab.com/). Different cells in a population can present varying responses to the same stimulus. In some cases these differences are attributable to genetic mutations, such as the appearance of drug-resistant cells in bacterial and cancer populations. However, in other cases identical (clonal) cells can also display phenotypically heterogeneous responses. This non-genetic heterogeneity has a poorly understood origin but a significant impact on biology and human health. We combine the development of state-of-the art genome-wide approaches with the molecular dissection of fundamental biological problems.

Our lab is located in the newly established Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab, http://www.scilifelab.se/) in the Karolinska Institute campus. SciLifeLab is equiped with state-of-the-art instrumentation and core facilities, and is home to the second largest sequencing cluster in Europe. SciLifeLab Stockholm is a joint effort between Karolinska Institute, the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) and Stockholm University, and hosts research groups with diverse backgrounds and expertise, including basic biology, drug discovery, genomics, bioengineering, and translational medicine.

Duties
The available research assistant position concerns developing and applying novel genomic techniques to study transcriptome complexity and RNA degradation. The candidate will contribute to method optimization and will assist lab members with molecular biology work such as NGS library preparation, cell culture, protocol optimization, and RNA/protein expression analysis. The selected person will contribute to the development and scaling up of novel high-throughput NGS approaches to investigate RNA degradation. The candidate will also help other team members with inventory, orders and general laboratory duties. A successful candidate is expected to assist the group leader and the senior lab manager in issues related to general laboratory development and organization. The candidate will be able to develop his/her skill set and will be encouraged to perform original research in genomics. The candidate is expected to be self-driven and contribute his/her own ideas for the development of better research and diagnostic tools. The ideal candidate is expected to participate in the general duties of the team and to effectively communicate with scientists of very diverse backgrounds in a highly interdisciplinary and international environment.

Entry requirements
The successful applicant should be a positive, flexible person with good communication skills and abilities to collaborate and work in a highly dynamic international research team. The candidate needs to be able to work both in a team as well as independently. Applicant’s work should be thorough and diligent, and must be good at documenting his/her own work. Applicants to this position should have a bachelor or a master’s degree in a relevant area. Previous experience in academic/industry environments will be considered.

The successful applicant should have excellent skills in experimental techniques such as DNA/RNA purification, DNA amplification, NGS library preparation, and cell culture. The candidate should also have good knowledge and experience of techniques within cell and molecular biology: molecular cloning, qPCR... A strong interest in interdisciplinary technology development, and novel and creative thinking abilities are essential. Preferred experience also includes familiarity with Illumina sequencing, robotics and lab automation. Prior exposure to NGS data analysis will be meriting. Candidate should have good skills in the English language in both writing and speaking. The ideal candidate should be able to work in in close collaboration with our academic team and industrial collaborators. At that respect, interpersonal skills will be highly valued.

Application process

An employment application must contain the following documents in English:

1. Cover letter motivating the application
2. A complete curriculum vitae, previous academic or industrial positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work. Please include email details of potential referees.
3. A complete list of publications
4. A summary of current work (no more than one page)
5. Verifications for crediting of illness, military service, work for labour unions or student organisations, parental leave or similar circumstances

The application is to be submitted via Varbi recruitment system. Deadline for the submission is February 8th, 2020 at midnight.