Postdoctoral Researcher Opportunity

The Hodgins Lab (Monash University, Melbourne Australia) is seeking a Postdoctoral Researcher with strong quantitative and computational skills for a Human Frontiers Science Program funded project (see project description below). The successful applicant will be responsible to examining convergence in the genetic basis of behavior across three species of Caenorhabditis. The project is in collaboration with Erik Anderson (Northwestern University) and Andre Brown (Imperial University).

Qualifications: The successful applicant must have a PhD in genetics or evolutionary biology and a strong background in bioinformatics. The candidate must also be experienced in comparative genomics and/or genome wide association studies. Successful applicants should also have a strong publication record in top-tier journal and must be able to mentor undergraduate and graduate students.

Project description: The Caenorhabditis nematodes offer a unique experimental platform to connect phenotypic variation to genetic differences. Starting with the keystone model organism, C. elegans, and existing data, we will characterize and classify genetic variation across wild isolates from three species of Caenorhabditis – C. briggsae, C. elegans, and C. tropicalis. Whole-genome genotype data combined with high-throughput, high-content imaging of behaviors from these same wild isolates will be input into unsupervised machine learning algorithms to create a high-resolution genotype-phenotype map for a range of natural behaviors. This map will be queried for signatures of convergence at orthologous genes to identify which variants are most important evolutionarily. The result will provide the first systematic glimpse into the genomic “knobs” that control behaviors at single-variant resolution across species and insights into the repeatability of the evolution of behaviors.

Compensation: Starting salary (Level A/Step 3) is $86,025 AUD + 9.5% superannuation.

The position will be for three years pending the successful completion of a probation period.

Melbourne is diverse and thriving city with a desirable climate. It is one of the most livable cities in the world and is a cultural and recreational hub.

Please send your CV, a brief statement of your research interests, and the contact details of two references to kathryn.hodgins@monash.edu.

The start date for the project is October 1 2019. Applications will be considered until a suitable candidate is found.