Research Associate (Fixed Term)

Research project

Key responsibilities

• Develop reproducible genomic workflows, call and quality-control somatic variants, quantify mutation rates and signatures, infer clone sizes and dynamics, and test for selection.
• Design targeted gene panels and comparative analyses accounting for species, tissue, age, sex, and sampling structure.
• Model clonal growth against lifespan, body size, tissue architecture, and cancer risk, including comparisons with human datasets.
• Contribute to sample collection, histology, laser-capture microdissection, and DNA extraction, with training and support.
• Maintain accurate sample metadata and quality-control records.
• Collaborate with colleagues in Cambridge, the Wellcome Sanger Institute, and partner institutions.
• Prepare manuscripts and reusable data and code, present findings, and support students and junior colleagues.
• Manage day-to-day work independently, communicate progress and risks, and help shape project direction.

Methods and project approach

• The role is predominantly computational, with an experimental data-generation component; the balance may change as the project develops.
• Methods include high-depth error-corrected sequencing (NanoSeq), species-specific targeted gene panels, histology, and quantitative evolutionary analysis.

What the role offers

• The researcher will have substantial ownership of a comparative genomics project linking evolution, ageing, and cancer biology, with access to diverse mammalian tissues and an interdisciplinary collaborative network.
• Training will include project-specific experimental methods and analysis of somatic clonal dynamics.

Fixed-term funding

• Funding for the post is available for three years in the first instance.

Requirements

• Ability to develop reproducible genomic workflows and perform somatic variant calling, quality control, and quantitative analysis.
• Ability to analyze mutation rates and signatures, infer clone sizes and dynamics, and test for selection.
• Ability to design targeted gene panels and comparative analyses that account for species, tissue, age, sex, and sampling structure.
• Ability to model clonal growth in relation to lifespan, body size, tissue architecture, and cancer risk, including comparisons with human datasets.
• Willingness to contribute to experimental work, including sample collection, histology, laser-capture microdissection, and DNA extraction, with training and support.
• Ability to collaborate, prepare manuscripts and reusable data and code, present findings, and support students and junior colleagues.
• Ability to manage day-to-day work independently, communicate progress and risks, and contribute to scientific direction.