What are the responsibilities and job description for the Postdoctoral Researcher, Center for Zoonomics position at Zoo New England?
Zoo New England, in collaboration with the Vertebrate Genomics Group at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, is launching the Center for Zoonomics, a cross-disciplinary center to bring together human-health focused genomic scientists and disease experts with zoological veterinarians to more sustainably conserve healthy populations of endangered species, while also informing and advancing research on similar diseases in humans.
Location: This position is based at Zoo New England in Boston, MA and the Broad Institute in Cambridge, MA.
We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher with experience in genomics and bioinformatics to help move forward innovative research exploring diseases of zoo and wildlife species, with emphasis on heart disease in captive meerkats and gorillas. The candidate will have the unique opportunity to work with genomic data from over one hundred gorillas to investigate deleterious genetic variation and its impact on the health of this endangered species. The candidate will also have opportunities to design results for population managers.
The qualified candidate will have a PhD in statistical, population genetics, or conservation genomics (or equivalent) and proficiency in genomic data analysis and interpretation of genetic variation. Experience with R, a Unix computing environment, and knowledge of at least one scripting language is strongly desired. Familiarity with next-generation DNA sequencing data and human or animal heritable disease or pathogens will be beneficial. A range of tasks may include bioinformatic analysis to identify genetic markers associated with heritable disease in managed captive or wild populations of various taxa, evaluation of deleterious variation, and analyses of heritability of heart disease.
Candidates should demonstrate a track record of consistent publication and have strong organizational, written and oral communication skills, and should be able to work both independently and as part of a transdisciplinary team with diverse backgrounds and experience.
This position reports to Zoo New England's Director of Conservation Genomics, though the position also carries an appointment with the Broad Institute and the majority of day to day work will be conducted at the Broad Institute.
To apply:
Please visit zoonewengland.org to upload a cover letter and curriculum vitae.
Please contact Dr. Rachel Johnston for inquiries at rjohnston@zoonewengland.org.
Zoo New England is an Equal Opportunity Employer by Choice
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