Postdoctoral researcher in comparative genomics

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We are now looking for a postdoctoral fellow in Comparative genomics to the program Plant Ecology and Evolution.

Project description

This position is part of the EU Horizon project, FruitDiv, which aims to monitor, characterize, utilize, and conserve the diversity of fruit tree Crop Wild Relatives (CWR). The project focuses on five species in particular: apples, pears, plums, almonds, and cherries. One of the project's goals is to provide a comparative view of the genetic diversity and population structure of CWR species. To this end, we recently obtained whole-genome sequencing data (Illumina short-read pair-end) for over 250 individuals of each species collected in natural populations across their distribution ranges. We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to use these data to conduct comparative demographic inferences to i) understand and compare the demographic history of CWR species, as well as the effect of domestication on them, and ii) investigate patterns of introgression between crops and CWR. The project will primarily use SNPs, but further development may include investigating structural variations. The project is co-supervised by Martin Lascoux and Pascal Milesi.

Duties
The post-doctoral fellow will analyze whole genome sequencing data of five fruit trees species in a comparative framework. The core of the work would consist in population and quantitative genomics analyses. Although the project is primarily computational, it may also include a small amount of field and/or wet laboratory work.

Qualifications required

Ph.D. degree or a foreign degree equivalent to a doctoral degree in Evolutionary Biology, Population or Quantitative Genomics or related fields. The degree needs to be obtained by the time of the decision of employment. Those who have obtained a PhD degree three years prior to the application deadline are primarily considered for the employment. The starting point of the three-year frame period is the application deadline. Due to special circumstances, the degree may have been obtained earlier. The three-year period can be extended due to circumstances such as sick leave, parental leave, duties in labor unions, etc. The applicant should have previously work with large genomic datasets, both in terms of number of samples and in terms of number of variants analyzed.

We attach great importance to personal qualities such as initiative, creative thinking, the ability to collaborate and to get involved in the life of the research groups and the institute. Candidates must be able to express themselves very well in spoken as well as written English.

Qualifications desired

The applicant should have a strong grasp of the fundamental principles of evolutionary biology and a background in population genetics and genomics, particularly in demographic inferences. Additionally, they should have a solid foundation in statistics. The following skills will be considered merits: Programming, bioinformatics, mathematics/modeling/statistics. An interest in structural variant calling will also be a plus. Please note that a background in plant biology is not mandatory, but it is considered an asset.

About the employment

Temporary position for 24 months, with a possibility to an extension up to a maximum of 36 months, according to central collective agreement. Scope of employment: full-time. Starting date 2026-01-12 or as agreed. Location: Uppsala.

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at Uppsala University

For further information about the position, please contact
Associate Professor, Pascal Milesi, pascal.milesi@ebc.uu.se.

Professor, Martin Lascoux, martin.lascoux@ebc.uu.se.

Application instructions

The application should include 1) a letter describing yourself, your research interests, and why you are interested in the position, and 2) your CV, including names and contact details of at least two referees (email addresses and phone numbers) and 3) a list of relevant publications. The application should be written in English.

You are welcome to submit your application no later than December, 01 2025. UFV-PA 2025/3194

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