Postdoctoral Fellow/Postdoctoral Fellow - Somatic Genomics Programme in Saffron Walden

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life‑changing science to solve some of humanity's greatest challenges. We are recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow/ Senior Postdoctoral Fellow for a 2.5 year fixed term contract with the potential for extension. This position offers a unique opportunity to address fundamental questions in human somatic evolution and its consequences for disease and inheritance. The role spans multiple ongoing projects investigating:

• The dynamics of somatic evolution in normal and precancerous tissues.
• The impact of environmental and clinical exposures including chemotherapy on mutational processes across tissues and their potential transmission to the next generation.

What you’ll be doing:

• Designing and delivering an original research project aligned with ongoing work on somatic evolution, contributing new ideas and helping shape future research directions.
• Applying and extending state‑of‑the‑art computational and/or experimental approaches to analyse large‑scale sequencing datasets and address complex biological questions.
• Working at the interface of computational biology, genomics and evolutionary modelling, leveraging large‑scale sequencing datasets (including whole‑genome and duplex sequencing) to uncover patterns of mutation accumulation, clonal dynamics and selection.
• Taking advantage of opportunities to develop and apply novel analytical frameworks, integrating multi‑omic data (DNA, RNA and epigenomics) to generate new biological insights.
• Contributing to a collaborative and inclusive research environment through knowledge sharing, teamwork and engagement with the wider scientific community.

You will have a computational or quantitative background and experience contributing to research. You are interested in developing your independence and shaping research directions, while working within a collaborative and supportive team environment. You enjoy working with others, sharing ideas and learning new approaches, and are motivated by contributing to research that improves our understanding of human health and disease. You are keen to continue developing your skills and expertise, with support and mentorship.

Essential Skills:

• PhD in a relevant subject area, including Cancer Genomics, Biological Sciences, Medicine, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Statistics, or a related quantitative discipline, or on track to be awarded within 6 months of starting the role.
• Proven ability to deliver research projects.
• A track record of demonstrating research excellence and expertise in your area of research.
• Ability to analyse and interpret data with strong quantitative/computational skills.
• Experience in programming and data analysis (e.g. Python, R, or similar).
• Previous work experience in a molecular biology laboratory.
• Experience with core molecular biology techniques, including sample preparation, RT, qPCR and RNA/DNA extraction.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of backgrounds, experience and expertise.
• Foster an inclusive culture where all can thrive and diversity is celebrated.
• Ability to work with others in a collegiate and collaborative environment.
• Ability to effectively communicate ideas and results and present orally to groups.
• Commitment to personal development and updating of knowledge and skills.
• Ability to prioritise, multi‑task and work independently.
• Detail‑orientated, strong organisational and problem‑solving skills.

Additional Skills for Senior Postdoctoral Fellow:

• Proven ability to lead and deliver research projects, including evidence of taking projects from conception through to publication.
• A demonstrable track record of research excellence, demonstrated through high‑quality publications, preprints, or equivalent research outputs.
• Expertise in analytical and quantitative skills, with demonstrated ability to analyse, interpret, and integrate complex large‑scale datasets.
• Demonstrated experience in computational biology/genomics, including analysis of DNA sequencing data (e.g. whole‑genome sequencing); experience with RNA or methylation data is advantageous.
• Proficiency in programming and data analysis (e.g. Python, R, or similar), and experience working in high‑performance or large‑scale computing environment.
• Excellent influencing skills to engage internal and external stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds.
• Demonstrated mentorship, supervision and leadership abilities.

Hybrid Working at Wellcome Sanger:

We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work‑life balance, with more focused time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have staff networks, including LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity, to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others. We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work. That’s why we’re committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

Our Benefits:

We are proud to deliver an awarding campus‑wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work‑related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute. Sanger Institute became a signatory of the International Technician Commitment initiative in March 2018. The initiative aims to empower and ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.

Salary per annum (dependent upon your skills and experience): £38,570-£49,893