Postdoctoral researcher in data science and genomics

The Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (MEB) is among the largest departments of epidemiology in Europe with special focus on increasing our knowledge of the aetiology of different diseases. Our department consists of researchers, doctoral students, biostatisticians, data collectors and database administrators as well as administrative personnel, in total some 250 staff. The department is situated at campus Solna. Further information can be found at ki.se/meb

Division- KI Psychiatric Genomics Institute (KI-PGI)
We seek a new postdoc who will work in the KI-PGI, led by Prof Patrick Sullivan.

The KI-PGI is a research program within MEB with 10 year funding from the Swedish Research Council. The KI-PGI begins with fundamental genomic findings and then elucidates the implications for patients, clinicians, and neuroscientists. We are deeply collaborative, and we actively work with at least 10 major genetic, psychiatric, neuroscience, and functional genomic groups. We have established, long term collaborations within the KI, Sweden, Europe, the US, and Australia. We have multiple large new datasets. These recent papers describe our efforts in psychiatric genomics, functional genomics, identification of brain cell types for schizophrenia (initial study and replication), the work of the PGC, and reviews for the field (Cell, 2019, in press). These are only a subset of efforts now underway.

The overarching goals of the KI-PGI are: on a population scale, how do genes and environment act and interact to modify risk for severe psychiatric disorders? By what molecular and cellular mechanisms do these genes act? We have data from large case-control studies of schizophrenia, and all subjects have been comprehensively evaluated with genome-wide SNP arrays, CNVs, and whole exome and whole genome sequencing. Larger studies are in progress including expansion of the Swedish Schizophrenia Study (S3), Genomic Aggregation Project in Sweden (GAPS), and TRYGGVE2 (an effort to harmonize psychiatric genomics in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden).

Prof Sullivan has a track record of postdoc advancement. Two recent KI postdocs now have their own labs and, in the past 15 years, more than 10 postdocs have advanced to Assistant or Associate Professor with independent funding. 

Duties
We seek an outstanding and innovative postdoc to join our team. We are data-rich, and need a professional-level data scientist to maximize our understanding of the data we have collected and to identify new data that we need to make. This individual should be passionately committed to furthering knowledge of severe psychiatric disorders in order to improve the lives of people. The successful applicant will join the KI-PGI team and conduct research on the genomics and functional genomics of severe psychiatric disorders leveraging “multi-omic” approaches and/or ML-approaches to high-dimensional and complex register data.

Entry requirements

- KI Postdoctoral Researchers must have obtained a PhD within the past 3 years (extension might be granted for sickness, parental leave, clinical work, union work or similar circumstances).
- Applicants should have a PhD in computer science, physics, mathematics, engineering, biostatistics, or genetics. We will consider those with PhDs in other areas but who have advanced/relevant data science skills (e.g., machine learning).
- Applicants should have substantial prior experience in professional analysis of multiple types of modern genomic and functional genomic datasets. These might include: GWAS, exome sequencing, whole genome sequencing, RNA-sequencing.
- Modern genomics requires advanced skills in programming (e.g., R, python, SAS), use of standard software packages (e.g., PLINK, GATK), flexibly manipulating large datasets, bioinformatic integration, and pathway analysis.
- Knowledge of complex trait genomics is very important. Knowledge of psychiatric genomics (particularly schizophrenia or major depression) is helpful but can be taught if required.
- Applicants should be highly collegial and experienced in working effectively in “team science” contexts.
- Successful Sullivan postdocs possess exceptional organizational skills and know how to multitask.
- Applicants will be asked to describe past examples of having developed structured approaches to solving unanticipated and complex problems.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English are required, along with ample experience with scientific writing.

Application process
An employment application must contain the following documents in English or Swedish:

- A complete curriculum vitae, including date of the thesis defence, title of the thesis, previous academic positions, academic title, current position, academic distinctions, and committee work
- A complete list of publications
- A summary of current work (no more than one page)
The application is to be submitted through the Varbi recruitment system.

Karolinska Institutet is one of the world’s leading medical universities. Its vision is to significantly contribute to the improvement of human health. Karolinska Institutet accounts for the single largest share of all academic medical research conducted in Sweden and offers the country’s broadest range of education in medicine and health sciences. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet selects the Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine.
Pursuant to the regulations of the Swedish National Archives, applications are kept on file for two years after the appointment has gained legal force. The regulations do not apply to attachments that have been printed or otherwise published.
Karolinska Institutet strives to provide a workplace that has approximately the same number of women and men, is free of discrimination and offers equal opportunity to everyone.

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