Researcher – Graduate, Postdoctoral Assistant or Postdoctoral Fellow

The post
The Faculty wishes to recruit either a Graduate Research Assistant, Postdoctoral Research Associate, or Postdoctoral Research Fellow to participate in a Wellcome funded collaborative project spanning the University of Exeter, University of Cambridge, and the University of Helsinki. The project studies our recent discovery of human-specific gene regulation in pancreatic beta-cell development. This post is available immediately on a fixed term contract of three years.

The closing date for completed applications is 7^th August at midnight, but please note that we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and may interview candidates/close the role earlier than the closing date.

The successful applicant will analyse pancreatic differentiation single-cell genomics data to understand how transposable elements have reshaped the human endoderm differentiation network. This post builds on our discovery that primate specific KRAB Zinc Finger transcription factor ZNF808 is necessary for human pancreas development (Nature Genetics, 2023; https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-023-01565-x).

The post will be supervised by Dr. Nick Owens at the University of Exeter. The post will use single-cell transcriptomic and chromatin accessibility data generated from stem cell differentiation models and foetal tissue to build human-specific gene regulatory networks. The post will analyse normal development and stem cell models that perturb KRAB zinc finger gene expression or transposable elements. The position provides an opportunity to lead on how gene regulatory networks have been innovated by transposable elements in primates and humans.

About you
We welcome applications from across career stages, at graduate research assistant level for those without a PhD (at Grade E), or at research assistant level for those with or nearing completion of a PhD (at higher Grade E spine point), or at research fellow level for those more senior (at Grade F).

A successful graduate research assistant will be trained in the relevant data analysis techniques and will have the potential to undertake a PhD while in post. The successful research associate applicant will be able to present information on research progress and outcomes, communicate complex information, orally, in writing and electronically and prepare proposals and applications to external bodies. The successful research fellow applicant will be able to develop research objectives, projects and proposals; identify sources of research funding and contribute to the process of securing funds and make presentations at conferences and other events.

We encourage applications from quantitative disciplines outside of biology, who wish to apply their expertise to biological problems. For applicants at a later career stage experience with single-cell genomic datasets will be essential, those with experience studying gene regulatory networks in development and/or transposable elements will be desirable. Applicants will have strong data and coding skills.

Please ensure you read the Job Descriptions (available on the university's website, accessed by the 'Apply' button) for full details of the differences in the roles available.

For further information please contact Dr. Nick Owens, e-mail n.d.l.owens@ex.ac.uk.

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