Three-year PostDoc position starting from April 2022 (or later) in this lab (https://sex-lab.org) at the University of Cologne. This position is to work on several projects on the signatures of evolution and speciation under long-term asexuality, heavily based on population genomics.
Unique Model system
Oribatid mites as models to understand persistence without sex
There are several independent transitions to asexuality within this mite order. This allows us to disentangle true consequences of (ancient) asexuality from lineage-specific effects by comparing asexuals to sexual relatives.
The projects
Classical predictions
Sex-asex genome and population comparisons are used to identify classical predictions like e.g. change in purifying selection, genetic diversity, segregating variation, transposable element dynamics; as well as e.g. signatures of cryptic sex and population sizes
Evolutionary innovation
Asexual reproduction over time might allow for genomic plasticity to be maintained more easily. Ploidy, genome structure, intra- and inter-genomic rearrangements will be identified and fixed and segregating structural variants analysed (e.g. horizontally transferred genes, TEs, etc), as well as expansions and loss of gene families
Speciation
How do asexuals adapt and speciate? To find out, we compare genomes and populations from an ancient asexual with a world-wide distribution. What genomic features contribute to speciation? What ecological traits correspond to genome patterns? How are these species and population different? What features fuel speciation in asexuals?
Who we want
Trained and experienced in analyzing population-genomic data (of non-model species)
Self-motivated, organized and creative
Experience with concepts of reproductive systems would be good
Some wet lab experience will not hurt either
Enjoy working in an international environment and willing to travel to and work in collaborating labs
Fun with supervising MSc and PhD students
What you get
3-year contract
A good amount of time to develop, execute and finsih projects
Work environment
The lab is an inclusive, diverse and fair working environment
Family life
Support in reconciling work and family life; flexible working time models
Benefits
Occupational health management offers and local transport tickets
Training
Extensive advanced training opportunities for science and career within the group and workshops offered by the University
Develop scientific directions
Opportunity to contribute to the scientific directions of the lab and to work with motivated lab members
DISCLAIMER: This is not an official announcement.
All interested candidates can directly and informally contact us for further details
