Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) -Computational Microbiome Science / Metagenomics-

The

Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) -Computational Microbiome Science / Metagenomics-

Operational area: Institute of Medical Microbiology -Selkrig Lab of Host-Microbe Interactomic-

Working hours: 100% of the full working hours in the collective agreement (currently 38.5 hours/week)
Duration/Term of employment : the position is limited till in accordance with the WissZeitVG (German Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act) with option of prolongation.
Start date:
Remuneration/Rates: EG 13 (TV-L)

Tasks:

The postdoctoral researcher will lead the computational analysis and integration of metagenomic datasets from human cohorts and animal models to uncover microbiome-driven mechanisms underlying chronic pain within an international, multi-site research consortium.

• PhD in Bioinformatics/Computational biology, Microbiology or Microbial Ecology (with strong emphasis on computational analysis of microbiome and sequencing data), Systems Biology,  Biostatistics
• Lead the analysis of shotgun metagenomic datasets from human cohorts and animal models to identify microbiome signatures associated with chronic pain
• Develop, implement, and maintain reproducible bioinformatics pipelines for processing, integration, and interpretation of multi-source microbiome data
• Integrate microbiome data with clinical, phenotypic, and experimental datasets to enable translational insights within the project
• Coordinate and collaborate across international project partners (UK, Switzerland, Romania), contributing to joint analyses, publications, and data harmonization efforts

Profile:

• Advanced metagenomics and microbiome data analysis, including processing and interpretation of shotgun sequencing datasets
• Strong programming and computational skills, particularly in languages such as Python and/or R, and experience with bioinformatics workflows
• Experience with high-throughput sequencing data and reproducible analysis pipelines, including workflow management and data handling
• Solid understanding of microbial ecology and host–microbiome interactions, ideally in the context of translational or biomedical research
• Desirable:
  • Experience in multi-omics data integration, particularly in combination with clinical or phenotypic datasets
  • Familiarity with clinical cohort data analysis, including data structuring and statistical evaluation
  • Knowledge of reproducible research practices and data management standards, such as version control, workflow management, and FAIR principles
  • Experience working in international and interdisciplinary research environments, ideally within collaborative consortia
• Proactive and self-driven working style, with the ability to independently identify problems and develop solutions
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the capacity to handle complex, multi-source datasets and deadlines
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills (both within the lab and with external partners), enabling effective interaction across international and interdisciplinary teams
• Adaptability and problem-solving mindset, with the ability to navigate challenges in a dynamic research environment

Why choose us?

We offer…

• 30 days of vacation
• A bonus of 3,000 euros for employees who help recruit employees in the care sector
• An attractive company pension scheme from VBL
• Education opportunities , including updating and upgrading 
• Access to public transport
• In-house kindergarten (places subject to availability)
• Staff residences (places subject to availability and by arrangement)
• An onboarding app for new employees
• Extended opening hours in the staff restaurant