3 Ph.D. research positions, 1 Postdoc position and 1  Software Engineer position

(All positions 38 hours per week).

Vacancynumber 3 Ph.D. research positions: 205065-67

Vacancynumber postdoc position: 205068

Vacancynumber sofware engineer position: 205069

TheFaculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences offers a broad selection ofprogrammes in the fields of Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, ComputerScience, Mathematics, Pharmacy, Physics and Environmental Studies. With2300 students and 1500 staff the Faculty of Mathematics and NaturalSciences is the largest science faculty of the Netherlands .

All positions are embedded in the Groningen Bioinformatics Centre of the Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute. All projects are part of the NWO VICI financed program of prof.dr. R.C. Jansen.

General information

Complexor ‘multifactorial' systems represent the frontier in biological andbiomedical research. Clearly, genomics technologies offer greatopportunities for studying complex systems at a depth never encounteredbefore, but raise enormous challenges for bioinformatic processing ofthe vast amounts of heterogeneous data. This holds in particular oncedecreasing costs of technologies will allow for hundreds if notthousands of individuals to be analyzed per experiment. We haverecently outlined the innovative concept of ‘genetical genomics', whichinvolves expression profiling and marker-based fingerprinting of eachindividual of a segregating population, and exploits all statisticaltools used in genetic mapping. By studying all genes in many different multifactorial combinations of alleles,genetical genomics is expected to be powerful and cost-efficient forunraveling metabolic, regulatory and developmental pathways. Althoughclear in concept, the bioinformatic techniques necessary to analyzesuch complex data are still left wanting.

A. Ph.D. profiles

PhD project 1 will focus on the design ofmultifactorial experiments. The aim is to design new biological andbiomedical experiments with highest power at lowest cost for studyingcomplex systems by large-scale phenotypic and expression profiling,through applying and accommodating statistical theory of multifactorialexperimentation.

PhD project 2 will focus on the development of multifactorial models forexpression variation. The aim is to create new biological, mathematicaland statistical models for genomic factors underlying transcript andprotein expression variation occurring within and between individuals.These new models will increase and appropriately reflect our knowledgeof the (interplay between) multiple genomic, environmental and noisesources of variation and correlation and non-correlation between thedifferent biomolecular data, and will further improve power andefficiency of genomic experimentation.

PhD project 3 will focus on the development of multifactorial methods of expression analysis.The aim is to develop advanced QTL analysis methods and appropriateapproaches for unravelling gene network relationships as well asinteractions with environmental variables, through efficientmathematical and statistical strategies of searching thehigh-dimensional interaction space for the designs and models developedin the other projects.

B. Postdoc profile

ThePostdoc will be responsible for designing and starting up an integratedinformation management/mining/analysis framework across the three PhDprojects, and will actively train and support the PhD students.

C. Software Engineer profile

The Software Engineer will construct the software bridge between these projects.

A. Required education/skills for the PhD positions: University Graduate.

Youare a university graduate (at the diploma or master or science level)in one of the following disciplines: bioinformatics, statistics,computer science, mathematics, theoretical biology, quantitativegenetics, physics, mathematics. You are expected to have an excellentacademic record (list of examination marks from your university study)and be curious, creative and ambitious. You should be able to writescientific articles and reports (to be proven by your graduation thesisor another comparable report) and be fluent in English language.

Conditions of employment
The University of Groningen offers an appointment for a period of four years, which period shouldbe finished with a Ph.D. examination. During the first year, the grosssalary is € 1.813,– gross per month. This amount will increase to €2283 gross per month during the fourth year. After one year, theperformance of the candidate will be evaluated to decide whether thereis sufficient progress to expect a successful completion of the Ph.D.thesis within the coming three years. A training programme is part ofthe agreement. You and your supervisors will make a plan for theadditional education and supervising that you specifically need. Thisplan also defines your teaching activities.

University of Groningen offers an appointment for a period of four years, which period shouldbe finished with a Ph.D. examination. During the first year, the grosssalary is € 1.813,– gross per month. This amount will increase to €2283 gross per month during the fourth year. After one year, theperformance of the candidate will be evaluated to decide whether thereis sufficient progress to expect a successful completion of the Ph.D.thesis within the coming three years. A training programme is part ofthe agreement. You and your supervisors will make a plan for theadditional education and supervising that you specifically need. Thisplan also defines your teaching activities.

B. Required education/skills for the Postdoc position :

Youhave a PhD in one of the following disciplines: bioinformatics,statistics, computer science, mathematics, theoretical biology,quantitative genetics, physics, mathematics. In-depth experience withquantitative analysis of expression data and/or quantitative geneticdata and/or regulatory network analysis is a clear advantage. You areexpected to have an excellent academic record (list of examinationmarks from your university study, list of publications) and be curious,creative and ambitious. You should be able to write scientific articlesand reports (to be proven by your graduation thesis and publishedpapers) and be fluent in English language.

Conditions of employment
The University of Groningen offers a temporary appointment for a period of four years. However,after one year, the performance of the candidate will be evaluated todecide whether there is sufficient progress to expect successfulcompletion of the whole period of four years.

Estimated maximum salary € 4.027,– gross per month, depending on experience and qualifications (salaryscale 11).

C. Required education/skills for the Software Engineer position : University Graduate.
Youare a university graduate (at the diploma or master or science level)in Management & Organization or Computer Science. You are expectedto have an excellent academic record (list of examination marks fromyour university study) and be curious, creative and ambitious.Experience with business management and -design, production linemanagement, operations research, project management, databases,information systems and -design, (legacy) integration and internetapplications are a clear advantage. You should be able to gain insightof the Life Sciences domains (a.o. genomics, bioinformatics,biomedical- and biotechnological applications). Knowledge programminglanguages is required including Java, PHP, C++, Python andPerl.Furthermore, you should be fluent in English language.

Conditions of employment
The University of Groningen offers a temporary appointment for a period of three years. However,after one year, the performance of the candidate will be evaluated todecide whether there is sufficient progress to expect successfulcompletion of the whole period of four years.

Estimated maximum salary € 3.453,– gross per month, depending on experience and qualifications (salaryscale 10).

Organization

University of Groningen

Workingat the University of Groningen (RUG) means working at the frontiers ofknowledge. The RUG offers researchers and students the opportunity toexpand those frontiers, to develop their talents and together withothers realise top quality achievements. The RUG therefore deliberatelyopts for an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge. Discoveries areborn and innovation realized at the interfaces between the variousscientific fields. Researchers and students in Groningen benefit from the rich assortment of disciplines that the RUG has built up since its founding nearly four hundred years ago.
Knowledgeis universal and transcends boundaries. The RUG has deliberately chosento make a priority of intensive and world-wide co-operation with otherleading universities and organizations. As well as beingoutward-looking, the RUG is also closely involved with its own regionwhere it is one of the largest employers. The university's 19,000students and 5,500 staff have a distinct academic identity, firmlyrooted in the wider social context. They are a vital element of thevibrant city of Groningen - a great place for students and staff.

Additional information
Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from:

Prof.dr. Ritsert C. Jansen
Telephone number: ++ 31 (0) 50 363 8089
E-mail address: r.c.jansen@rug.nl

Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links:

About the organization : ( http://www.rug.nl )

About the department : (http://www.rug.nl/gbb/research/researchgroups/bioinformatics/index)

About the function : (http://www.rug.nl/gbb/research/researchgroups/bioinformatics/jobVacancies)

About prof.dr. R.C. Jansen (http://www.rug.nl/gbb/~ritsert)

Application

You can apply for this job by sending your application by email to r.c.jansen@rug.nl or by mail to

University of Groningen
Personnel and Organization Department

P.O. Box 72

9700 AB Groningen
The Netherlands
E-mail: vmp@bureau.rug.nl

All applications should include a curriculum vitae, a list of subjects and marks as well as the names of three references.

Source: Open positions in informatics