Postdoctoral Research Associates in Genetics of Obesity, Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science (x 2 Positions) (Fixed Term)
Salary: £28,695-£37,394
Department of Clinical Biochemistry

We are seeking to appoint two Postdoctoral Research Associates to join our internationally recognised team led by Professor Sadaf Farooqi, Cambridge, UK and funded by the Wellcome Trust. Our aim is to understand the genetic and molecular basis of obesity and diabetes (Wheeler et al. Nature Genetics 2013; Pearce et al. Cell 2013). The team participates in a wide variety of collaborative projects, performing genomic variation analysis, disease mutation discovery, RNA sequence analysis, and using computational and laboratory methods to explore new pathways involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and diabetes. Your work will have important implications for the clinical management of patients, including the development of better patient stratification and the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

These positions offer an ideal opportunity for highly motivated scientists wishing to advance their careers in the genetic mechanisms of human disease and would suit ambitious candidates who are trying to make the transition to Intermediate Fellowship or Principal Investigator.

You will have a PhD in genetics, computational biology or a closely related discipline with experience in the analysis of high throughput genomic data (genome wide association arrays, exome chip, exome/genome sequencing) supported by a strong publication record. A high level of proficiency in programming skills and experience applying computational methods to genomic data is highly desirable.

Responsibilities include analysis of high throughput genomic data including whole exome and genome sequencing, CNV analysis and algorithm development. Applicants with a particular interest in genomics/computational biology or in classical rare disease genetics are encouraged to apply. You will have excellent communication and organisational skills as you will contribute to collaborative work with colleagues at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and develop new external collaborations with partners in the NHS, Biotech and Pharmaceutical Industry.

Proposed start date: 4th January 2016 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Fixed-term: The funds for these posts are available for 24 months in the first instance.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidates will be required to undergo a health assessment.