We are seeking a talented and driven postdoctoral fellow to join the laboratory of Jake Michaelson, PhD, assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the University of Iowa.
The Michaelson lab investigates the effect of genetic variation on the development and function of the brain, particularly in the context of neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and language impairment. Our work revolves mostly around integrating information from large scale data sets (e.g., whole genome sequencing, RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, etc.) and deriving informative features so that predictive models can be built and used to better understand the molecular basis of neurodevelopmental conditions.
This postdoctoral position will be devoted mostly to developing models that estimate the downstream effect of non-coding genetic variation on the brain in space and time. Other projects will at a general level involve machine learning and genome-scale data sets.
Educational Requirements
Doctoral degree in human genetics, quantitative genetics, bioinformatics, computational biology, or other fields with strong quantitative skills is required.
Required Experience
- demonstrated experience in machine learning or applied statistical modeling
- scientific programming skills (using R) with a commitment to the principles of clear documentation and reproducible research
- excellent verbal and written communication skills
Desired experience and skills
- experience with databases (e.g. MySQL)
- demonstrated skills in effective data visualization
- familiarity with genome informatics concepts (e.g. software tools, file formats, and workflows involved in next-generation sequencing)
Living in Iowa City
The University of Iowa combines a fantastic scientific environment with a healthy work-life balance. Faculty and staff living in Iowa City enjoy the affordability and friendliness of small town life while also benefiting from the cultural engagement and activities that come from being the home to a major university.