Computational Postdoc in Developmental & Organoid Biology in Berlin (m/f/d)
postdoc / scientific staffThe Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in the Helmholtz Association is an international biomedical research center dedicated to understanding the molecular mechanisms of health and disease with the goal to devise new diagnostics and medicines. The MDC is a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany's largest scientific organization, and offers an engaging research environment with cutting-edge research infrastructure. Currently, ~1250 employees and ~500 guest scientists work at the Berlin-Buch and Berlin-Mitte campuses. Our diverse workforce is a core strength that inspires creativity and innovation at the MDC.
The MDC is committed to improving human health through transformative biomedical research. Our goal is to pioneer discoveries for preventing, treating, and ultimately curing disease.
The Mittnenzweig lab develops new quantitative approaches to biomedical data, with a particular focus on single-cell multiome, genomic and spatial transcriptomics data. We are interested in building quantitative models of the regulatory code and the intercellular signals that drive cell fate decisions in development and disease and how this code has evolved during animal evolution. In collaboration with experimental groups, we are working on vertebrate development and organoid models that reconstitute embryonic development and disease processes.
Our group is looking for a highly motivated postdoc (m/f/d) to develop new machine learning methods in the context of mammalian embryonic and organoid development.
Job Description
- You will develop new algorithms to infer cellular and tissue-wide differentiation trajectories from single-cell multiome (RNA + ATAC), spatial transcriptomics and lineage tracing data
- You will use machine learning and artificial intelligence methods to help decipher the evolutionary highly-conserved regulatory code underlying mammalian organogenesis
- You will compare early mouse embryonic development with a variety of other species (human, fish, bird, non-vertebtrates)
- You will analyse and compare synthetic organoid development with in vivo embryonic development
- You will work closely with experimental collaborators
- You will be an active member in a highly interdisciplinary team, that involves data scientists and computational and experimental biologists
Requirements
- PhD (or MSc degree with several years of working experience) in computational or natural sciences with strong computational or quantitative focus
- Strong programming skills (Python, R) are essential; experience in building efficient and reusable software would be a plus
- Excellent communication skills facilitating frequent exchange with group members and scientific collaborators, and the ability to work independently
- Solid statistical knowledge and experience with state-of-the-art machine learning methods
- Ability to work independently and to undertake challenging analysis tasks
We offer
- international working environment with communication in English and German
- interesting career opportunities and a range of opportunities for further qualification and training
- Compatibility of family and career certified by the workandfamily audit (“berufundfamilie audit”)
- Support for "New Berliners" through the MDC Welcome & Family Office
- On-campus health and fitness center
- Stimulating and international research environment with excellent science
- Opportunity to work on cutting-edge biomedical data
- Ability to further yourself as an expert in single-cell genomics and machine learning approaches to biomedical data
- Compatibility of family and career certified by the workandfamily audit (“berufundfamilie audit”)
- Support for "New Berliners" through the MDC Welcome & Family Office
You also benefit from:
- A remuneration in accordance with the collective agreement for the federal public service (TVöD-Bund), including additional company pension schemes
- Flexible working hours with the possibility of mobile working and childcare support
- Subsidy for the job ticket
- Additional health benefits such as flu vaccination, eye test, ergonomics advice at the workplace
