The University of Helsinki is an international scientific community of 40,000 students and researchers. It is one of the leading multidisciplinary research universities in Europe and ranks among the top 100 international universities in the world.

The Department of Computer Science (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/computer-science), which is part of the Faculty of Science, is a leading Computer Science research and teaching unit in Finland. The research themes of the Department cover machine learning and algorithms, computer networks and distributed systems, software systems and bioinformatics.

The Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Sciences, University of Helsinki invites applications for

2 Postdoctoral Researchers in Algorithms & Bioinformatics

Position description

The research group of Academy Research Fellow Dr. Alexandru Tomescu is seeking for 2 Postdoctoral Researchers in the areas of graph algorithms, combinatorial optimization, efficient data structures, with applications to bioinformatics. The positions are funded by a recent ERC Starting Grant on “Safe and Complete Algorithms for Bioinformatics”. The candidates will join a new research group that will be formed of 3-4 other PhD students, with strong links to the broad Algorithmic Bioinformatics community in Helsinki.

Our research is at the intersection of theoretical and practical computer science, with a potential to make significant progress in both. 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 changes the way we approach real-world problems, and could spur a new line of research in computer science / bioinformatics.

The positions are full-time and for 2 years to begin with. The starting date is negotiable, preferably by February-March 2020.

Requirements

Applicants must hold a PhD degree in computer science, bioinformatics, or a related field. If you have not yet obtained the PhD degree, but you plan to defend at the beginning of 2020, you can still apply, and mention the expected graduation date in your cover letter.

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.

Excellent written and oral communication skills in English are needed. You are expected to publish your findings in international scientific journals and international scientific conferences, and do short stays abroad at our collaborators. Your work may also include supervision of students and teaching duties (at most 5-10% of annual working time). You should have a strong motivation for research in this field and possess the ability to carry out independent research.

Salary and benefits

The salary will be in accordance with the University salary system (for teaching and research personnel, level 5). The starting salary will be approximately 3400–3800 €/month, depending on previous experience and track record.

The University of Helsinki offers comprehensive services to its employees, including occupational health care and health insurance, sports facilities, and opportunities for professional development. The International Staff Services office (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/university/working-at-the-university) assists employees from abroad with their transition to work and live in Finland.

How to apply

Please submit as a single pdf file:

• CV with a list of publications
• Cover letter describing motivation, research interests and experience (1-2 pages)
• Contact details of two potential referees who agreed to provide letters of recommendation
• Copy of PhD degree certificate

Please submit your application via the University of Helsinki Recruitment System by clicking the Apply for the position button below.

Applications will be given full consideration if received by October 31, 2019.

Additional information

For more information on the position, please contact the group leader Alexandru Tomescu (alexandru.tomescu@helsinki.fi).

For more information on the Doctoral Programme in Computer Science (DoCS), please visit https://www.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral-education/doctoral-schools-....

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