2-years Postdoctoral Researcher in Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Venomics

The Project

Animal venoms are remarkable evolutionary innovations, yet we know little about how new venom systems originate and diversify. Our recently funded project DRIVEN (DRIvers and mechanisms of VENom evolution in ribbon worms) uses venomous ribbon worms as models to uncover the genomic mechanisms underlying venom evolution. We will combine chromosome-scale genome sequencing, single-cell, spatial transcriptomics and comparative genomics to investigate the evolution of toxin genes, venom cells and tissues.

The Research Group

Our research group investigates the genomic mechanisms underlying evolutionary innovations in marine invertebrates. Current projects use venom and ioluminescence as model systems to study convergent evolution, the emergence of evolutionary novelties and their impact in species diversification. We are based at the Department of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), one of Spain's leading research institutes in biodiversity and evolution, located in the heart of Madrid.

The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Researcher with a strong background in comparative genomics and computational biology to lead the bioinformatics component of the project. Main research activities include:

• Chromosome-scale genome assembly, annotation and comparative genomics.
• RNA-seq, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, and integration of multi-omics datasets.
• Development of reproducible pipelines (e.g. Snakemake or Nextflow).

The researcher will contribute to project development, supervise students, collaborate with international partners and help establish new computational approaches. Opportunities for wet-lab work and marine fieldwork are also available.

What do we offer?

• 2-year (1+1) fully funded contract.
• Gross annual salary of ca. €30,000 – €35,000, based on qualifications.
• Opportunities for international collaborations, conferences and research stays.
• Supportive, collaborative and inclusive research environment.
• Working language: English (Spanish desirable, but not required).

Eligibility requirements

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genomics, Evolutionary Biology or related field.
• Strong programming skills (Python and/or R) and experience with Linux/HPC.
• Experience with genome assembly, annotation and comparative genomics.
• Scientific curiosity, independence, initiative and strong organizational skills are essential.
• Experience with single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, reproducible workflows and Git are an advantage.

How to apply

• Starting date: Flexible, but no later than January 2027.
• Please send a single PDF to Aida Verdes (aida.verdes@mncn.csic.es) including a cover letter describing your interest in the position, a CV (max. 5 pages) and contact details for 2–3 referees.
   

We are committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in our research community. Applicants from groups historically underrepresented in academia are strongly encouraged to apply.

Carousel photo: Patrick Webster