About this role
This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You can find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here . Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0 About the position Are you ready to take your research career to the next level? We offer an exciting 3-year postdoctoral position that gives you the opportunity to develop a strong profile as researcher. You will also gain valuable experience that might be relevant for your further career. The purpose of a postdoctoral position is to build up a researcher profile that qualifies for a position as associate professor. The position may also offer additional skills that are relevant to the postdoctoral fellow's future career. Apply for this position to become part of our research environment and take the next step in your career with us. Your immediate leader will be the Head of Department. About the project The NTNU University Museum is looking for an energetic and ambitious genomicist with excellent organizational and communication skills. This three-year postdoctoral position is part of the Norwegian Research Council-funded project HoloCamp, which aims to better understand the role of host-microbe interactions in the different susceptibility of faster- and slower-growing chicken breeds to Campylobacter infection, which has potentials for zoonotic transmission to consumers through poultry meat. The project also aims to advance understanding of host-microbe interactions in the gut of farmed chickens, determine how the metabolic capacities of gut microbiota contribute to chicken growth rates in the presence and absence of Campylobacter, and potentially develop an applied microbiome transplantation solution for reducing chickens’ Campylobacter susceptibility. The postdoc will have a leading role in the large-scale multi-omics (“hologenomic”) data analysis to integrate/synthesize the genomic, transcriptomic, metagenomic, and potentially meta-transcriptomic sequencing data alongside phenotypic and other veterinary data generated by project partners at NMBU. This integration could involve conducting statistical and computational modelling analyses, including differential gene expression analysis, microbiome diversity analyses, host–microbiome association testing, metagenome-wide association analyses (mGWAS), hierarchical Bayesian community modelling, and integration of microbial functional traits with host phenotypes. The postdoctoral fellowship position is a temporary position where the main goal is to qualify for work in senior academic positions. The position is based at the NTNU University Museum in Trondheim with Prof. Michael D. Martin and in close association with project partners Dr. Ann-Katrin Llarena at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU). To ensure appropriate contextualization and incorporation of the non-omic data, a substantial portion of the project period will be spent closely collaborating with HoloCamp’s NMBU team in Ås, Norway. There may be opportunities for student supervision and involvement with other relevant scientific projects. Duties of the position Take a leading role in a multi-institution research collaboration to characterize the community and functions of chicken gut microbiomes Perform genomic data analysis and scientific writing for peer-reviewed publication under the theme of host-microbiome integrative genomics Participate in domestic and international meetings and research visits in coordination with project partners Participate in the Holomuseomics research group Mentoring and helping student trainees with their research projects and academic writing Required selection criteria You must have completed a doctoral degree in computational/systems biology, microbial ecology, evolutionary genomics, or a closely related discipline Substantial experience with scientific research in metagenomic analysis If you are in the final phase of your doctorate and can document that the thesis has been submitted or that the defense date has been confirmed, your application can be considered even if you have not defended. NOTE: Documentation of the obtained doctorate must be presented before you can take up the position. Good oral and written presentation skills in English equivalent level C1 Experience in analyzing large-scale next-generation sequencing datasets in Linux/HPC environments using computational workflows and statistical tools (R, Python, Bash). PLEASE NOTE : For detailed information about what the application must contain, see paragraph “About the application”. If you do not already have educational competence that meets the requirements for a position as associate professor in Norway, NTNU will arrange for you to acquire such competence during the employment period. In such cases, you will also be assigned relevant teaching as part of the career-promoting work. The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions and for general criteria for the position. Preferred selection criteria Experience with shotgun sequencing metagenomic analysis and microbiome profiling of complex environmental samples Experience with statistical modelling and multivariate analysis for linking microbial taxonomic and functional profiles to host phenotypic traits Experience in analyzing host–microbiome interactions in farmed animal systems Demonstrated ability to complete projects independently and according to time plan Research publications in recognized international journals within the field Personal characteristics Working as a Postdoctoral fellow requires that you Work independently Work in a structured and analytical way, setting goals and making plans to achieve them Effectively present and discuss your research wi