[CPM-SPIRE-L] 1 PhD student & 2 Postdoc positions (Algorithmic Bioinformatics)

[Alexandru Tomescu]

Dear colleagues,

I have 1 PhD student position and 2 Postdoc positions available in Algorithmic Bioinformatics, here at the University of Helsinki. These are funded by an ERC Starting Grant on "Safe and Complete Algorithms for Bioinformatics", beginning in 2020. 

The salaries are competitive, and also include a component based on performance. More details and application links at: https://www.cs.helsinki.fi/u/tomescu/ 

The deadlines for applications are 15 October (PhD position) and 31 October (Postdoc positions). Applications will be given full consideration if received by the deadline. Applications received after that will still be considered, until the positions are filled.

Our research is at the intersection of theoretical and practical computer science. Our new approach is, given a computational problem, to look at those parts of a solution that are common to all solutions. We call these "safe", because we can ultimately trust them to be part of the correct solution. We plan to develop efficient safe algorithms for a range of graph problems, and apply them to real bioinformatics problems, such as genome assembly, RNA transcript assembly, and sequence alignment in pan-genome graphs. This is a new perspective from which to address real-world problems in computer science / bioinformatics.

For the PhD student position, the ideal candidate has a strong background in algorithms, with a focus on graph algorithms and data structures. The following constitute an advantage, but are not required:
- Experience in implementing efficient code.
- Experience with handling high-throughput DNA sequencing data.
- Achievements at international programming contests such as IOI or ACM ICPC.
- Previous research experience and publications.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are needed.

For the Postdoc positions, applicants must hold a PhD degree in computer science, bioinformatics, or a related field. The two positions have slightly different scopes, but the persons hired are required to work together:
- Algorithmic background: A strong experience in algorithm development is needed, with a focus on graph or string algorithms and data structures. Experience in processing high-throughput sequencing data is an advantage, but not required.
- Bioinformatics method development background: A strong experience in developing practical bioinformatics methods dealing with high-throughput sequencing data, preferably based on advanced algorithms or mathematical models. Experience with the genome assembly problem is an advantage, but not required.

Feel free to contact me at alexandru.tomescu at helsinki.fi for further details.

Alexandru