Senior Bioinformatician

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity's greatest challenges.

We are seeking a Senior Bioinformatician to join The Blaxter group in the Tree of Life programme. The position is part of the newly-funded Leverhulme Research Centre for the Holobiont, where a diverse team of biologists from many disciplines are examining inter-species associations from evolutionary, metabolic/physiological and ecological standpoints.

Symbiosis covers a spectrum of relationships, from temporary to lifelong, and from mutually beneficial - such as between coral and algae - to exploitative - between parasite and host. These relationships are hugely important and have evolved independently many times. Yet little is known about the underlying genetics of these complex relationships between species, how symbiotic partners adapt to one another over time, how resilient these partnerships are, how they respond to disruption and how the interactions might be supported and engineered to build better agriculture and promote conservation. What do the genomes of collaborating partners reveal of their evolving relationships? Are the dynamics of genomic change predictable, and can these dynamics be used to in turn predict the likely mode of association between species where the relationship is unclear?

**About the role**:
The specific projects undertaken will be co-created by the Senior Bioinformatician in consultation with the group leader, other faculty and the wider programme, with an emphasis on large-scale analysis across diversity.

The Blaxter group in the Tree of Life programme works on a range of taxa, from protists to metazoa, with overarching goals of linking genomic diversity to phylogenetic diversity, and understanding the drivers of and constraints on genomic change. The group is intensely collaborative, with shared questions that we explore in different groups of species. We develop toolkits for our work that we share openly with others, and provide data platforms to support dissemination of our work.

You will be embedded in this supportive and dynamic environment to produce significant work of wide impact.

**About you**:
You will carry out a programme of research based on reference quality genomes from the Tree of Life programme and other public data, with a particular focus on the evolution of collaboration between species in symbiotic (mutualist and parasitic) and other associations. The work will address the origins and impacts of symbiosis on genome structure, and better resolution of pattern and process in co-evolution between the varied partners found in association.

**Technical Skills**:

- Extensive knowledge of genome assembly and analysis with a proven track record in eukaryotic species
- Experience working with large genomic datasets and diverse databases
- Programming in relevant, modern languages, including Python and R; experience with software development and good practice in coding
- Excellent communication and organisation skills; Ability to work collaboratively and inclusively with a range of stakeholders

**Competencies and Behaviours**:

- Demonstrates inclusivity and respect for all
- Highly motivated
- Dynamic and inquisitive
- Ability to work collaboratively
- Commitment to open science
- Independent and creative

**Application Process**:
**Other information**

**Salary range**: £43,597 to £51,000 (dependant on skills and experience)

**Contract Type**: 4 years (Externally funded by Third party grant Leverhulme for investigation into Holobionts)

**Closing Date**:4th June 2023

**Working at Wellcome Sanger**:
Our flexible-hybrid working environment is designed to support a healthy work-life balance. This means you can work flexibly with a combination of working from home, and working from our Campus to allow you to focus on being productive and part of the team while enjoying the benefits of working flexibly.

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have a supportive culture with the following staff networks, LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others.

We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work. That's why we're committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

**Our Benefits**:
We are proud to deliver an awarding campus-wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work-related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute.