Job Description

A three-year young investigator research fellowship is immediately available as part of the FIRB Futuro in Ricerca project “Plant Postgenomics: Tools and Applications”. The project deals with the construction of an extensive framework for the automated annotation and analysis of plant genome sequences. It is a collaboration between the Comparative Genomics Group, Fondazione E. Mach (URL: http://cri.fmach.eu/Research/Computational-Biology/Comparative-Genomics/), who have directly sequenced several plant genomes (e.g. grape and apple), and the BioComputing Laboratory, Dept. of Biology, University of Padova (URL: http://protein.bio.unipd.it/), who develop novel methods for structural bioinformatics.
The work will concern the development of methods for functional annotation in plants by exploiting NGS data. In particular: Alternative Splice evaluation and functional characterization through prediction of protein structure features; Studying consequences of gentic variation on protein function; Determination of untranslated region (UTR) gene features important for gene expression timing and/or tissue specificity. The ideal candidate should have previous bioinformatics experience, hold a PhD and be independent in computer programming (C++, Java, Perl and/or Python). Good knowledge of English, an open-minded spirit, being collaborative and creative are crucial.
Experience in genome projects will be advantageous. The fellowship, which has to start before July 2012, will be awarded as Assegno di Ricerca from the University of Padova with a monthly salary of ca. 1470 € after taxes. According to FIRB policies, candidates must not be older than 32 years at the time of application. The successful candidate will be preferably located at the Fondazione E. Mach in San Michele all’Adige (Trento) or alternatively at the University of Padova.
To apply, please send your CV, a brief description of your research background and the names of two (or more) references to Prof. Silvio Tosatto (Email: silvio.tosatto@unipd.it) or Dr. Alessandro Cestaro (Email: alessandro.cestaro@fmach.it).