About this role
The position At the Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics (BFE), the Norwegian College of Fishery Science (NCFS), UiT The Arctic University of Norway, there is a permanent position available as Senior Engineer / Chief Engineer in Microbial Bioinformatics. The position is affiliated with the Microalgae & Microbiomes Research Group (M2RG) . The Norwegian College of Fishery Science currently has approximately 130 employees across scientific and technical/administrative positions. Research activities are organized around two main themes: marine resource management and marine biotechnology. This includes both basic research and applied research related to marine resources, seafood science, fish health, marine biotechnology, and marine bioprospecting. Research at NCFS is conducted in close collaboration with other research groups within the faculty and university, as well as with national and international partners. The Microalgae & Microbiomes Research Group (M2RG) focuses on understanding marine microalgae and microbial communities using multi-omics approaches, molecular ecology, and experimental systems. The group integrates genomics, microbiology, synthetic biology and bioinformatics to better understand microbial ecosystems and develop solutions related to sustainability, biotechnology, and carbon cycling. The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time. Job description The successful applicant will hold a permanent technical position supporting the research activities of the Microalgae & Microbiomes Research Group. The position will focus primarily on development and maintenance of scalable data infrastructure for large sequencing datasets, with particular emphasis on shotgun metagenomic sequencing data analysis and genome-resolved metagenomics. The successful applicant will also contribute to maintaining and further developing the group’s bioinformatics infrastructure, including workflows, data management practices, and access to computational resources. The position will emphasize reproducible research practices, version-controlled workflows, and transparent data analysis. The position offers opportunities to develop scientific leadership within bioinformatics and to contribute to the group´s strategic development of computational and multi-omics research capabilities. Key responsibilities include: Processing and analysis of high-throughput sequencing data, particularly shotgun metagenomics Metagenome assembly, binning, and reconstruction of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) Analysis of transcriptomic and metatranscriptomic datasets Development and maintenance of reproducible bioinformatics workflows and pipelines Management and organization of large sequencing datasets Working with local and national high-performance computing (HPC) resources Supporting research projects through data interpretation, documentation, quality assurance Collaborating on and leading peer reviewed scientific publications Collaborating on research grants Collaborating on bioinformatics related teaching activities Mentoring researchers, MSc and PhD students with bioinformatics analyses Assisting/leading collaborations with other research groups (national and international) Contributing to method development and implementation of new computational tools Basic involvement in laboratory-based microbiology or molecular biology activities when relevant The successful applicant will work closely with researchers and students within the group and contribute to maintaining an efficient computational research infrastructure. Responsibilities associated with the position may change as the research activities of the group evolve. Qualifications The successful applicant must have the following qualifications: A Master’s degree or PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, or a related field Documented experience with shotgun metagenomic data analysis Experience working in Linux/Unix environments Experience using high-performance computing (HPC) systems Proficiency in programming and data analysis using R and/or Python Experience with genome and/or metagenome assembly and analysis The following qualifications are considered advantageous: Experience with metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) reconstruction Experience with metatranscriptomics or transcriptomics analysis Experience developing reproducible bioinformatics workflows (e.g., Nextflow, Snakemake, or similar) Experience managing and organizing large sequencing datasets Familiarity with microbiology or molecular biology laboratory techniques A track record of leading/assisting peer reviewed scientific publications For applicants who can demonstrate extensive relevant experience and specialized expertise within the field, appointment as Chief Engineer may be considered. The successful candidate will play an important role in shaping the group’s bioinformatics and multi-omics research strategies. The successful candidate will also be given the opportunity to complete a course in Basic Pedagogical Competence UNIPED-100, as an opportunity for future career growth and involvement in teaching. The successful candidate will also be given the opportunity to work within ELIXIR.NO, the national node of ELIXIR , the pan-European infrastructure for biological information, supporting life science research and its translation to medicine, the environment, the bioindustries and society. In addition to formal qualifications, personal suitability for the position will be emphasized. The successful applicant should demonstrate the ability to work independently, maintain structured working routines, collaborate effectively with colleagues, and contribute positively to a collaborative research environment. Language requirements The applicant must have good proficiency in both written and spoken English. The institute will facilitate the opportunity to acquire Norwegian language skills. T