Postdoctoral Fellow - Cancer Dependency Map Analytics

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Salary £31,503 to £39,492 (dependant on experience) plus excellent benefits. Fixed term for 3 years

The Wellcome Sanger Institute is seeking for a highly motivated researcher with strong skills in computational functional genomics to fill a postdoctoral fellow position, in collaboration with Open Targets.

The selected candidate will join the Cancer Dependency Map Analytics team and will actively interact with the international Cancer Dependency Map consortium, whose goal is to identify vulnerabilities and dependencies that could be exploited therapeutically in every cancer cell to advance personalized cancer treatments. The groups involved in this initiative have already characterized up to 1,000 cancer cell lines using high throughput genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic techniques, as well as applied large scale drug panels to assess cell-line specific sensitivities. Work is currently ongoing to identify genes that inhibit cell growth when knocked out using CRISPR/Cas9 -- these could then be used as targets for therapies.

The successful candidate will perform original research to globally advance the state of the field with novel methods, data resources and results (applying methods and models to uncover new insight into cancer dependencies).

Essential Skills

* Motivation to understand what makes a gene a good therapeutic target in cancer, interest in science, ability to get things done

* PhD in a relevant subject area (Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology)

* Ability to devise novel computational methods

* Basic knowledge of statistics, combinatorics

* Full working proficiency in a scripting language (e.g. R, Python, Perl), and UNIX/Linux

* Strong publishing record

Ideal Skills

* Basic Knowledge of genomics, molecular biology, and cancer genetics

* Basic Knowledge of machine learning, information theory

* Previous experience with genetic screens

* Previous experience with high throughput biological assay analysis

* Previous experience in creating finished software

* Full working proficiency in a compiled language (e.g. C, C++, D, Julia, Fortran)

* Previous experience with implementing-omics data analysis pipelines on a cluster

Other information

The Cancer Dependency Map is a collaborative initiative involving the Wellcome Sanger Institute and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. By leveraging the expertise and infrastructure available at both organisations, we aim to identify genetic dependencies and vulnerabilities that could be exploited therapeutically in every cancer cell, to advance personalized cancer treatments.

Genome Research Limited is an Equal Opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and promoting equality in careers in science, we hold an Athena SWAN Bronze Award and have an active Equality, Diversity and Inclusion programme of activity. We will consider all applicants without discrimination on grounds of disability, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity leave status, race or national or ethnic origin, age, religion or belief, gender identity or re-assignment, marital or civil partnership status, protected veteran status (if applicable) or any other characteristic protected by law. We are open to a range of flexible working options including part-time or full-time employment as well as flexible hours due to caring or other commitments.

Please include a covering letter and CV with your application. Closing date for applications: 24th June 2018.

Contact for informal enquiries