Postdoctoral Research Associate Full-time NEW

Postdoctoral Research Associate

Comparative genomics, and specifically our ability to identify which genes are related in different species, has revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. The Kelly lab built OrthoFinder to do exactly this, along with a growing family of related methods for reconstructing how orthogroups evolve. OrthoFinder has become widely-used in comparative genomics research, it powers many popular databases of online genomic information, and has enabled and been cited by over 10,000 studies in the last ten years. We are now looking to appoint a post doctoral research assistant to work on the OrthoFinder project. Professor Steven Kelly is the Principal Investigator, and the successful candidate will be supervised and line managed by Dr Laurence Belcher, who leads OrthoFinder development.

The successful candidate will develop and evaluate new comparative genomic and molecular evolution methods and associated software, apply these to biological questions, and work with software development colleagues to incorporate them into OrthoFinder.

Applicants must hold a PhD/DPhil in comparative genomics, molecular evolution, bioinformatics, or a closely related field, with extensive research experience in phylogenetics, strong experience using comparative genomics and phylogenomics to address biological questions, strong Python skills and excellent analytical and communication skills. The successful applicant should be motivated and excited by the opportunity to help advance the capabilities of the comparative genomic research community, and to use these tools to make new discoveries.

The Kelly lab welcomes individuals with diverse career backgrounds.

The University of Oxford is committed to equal opportunity, and to being a place where everyone belongs and is supported to succeed. We recognise how the diversity of our community enriches our ability to deliver on our academic mission. We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds, including those under-represented within higher education. No applicant or members of staff shall be unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

This post is full-time and available immediately for 3 years. The closing date for applications is 12.00 noon on Friday 11 December 2026, interviews are likely to be scheduled for early January 2027. Applications for this vacancy are to be made online via our e-recruitment system, and you will be required to upload a supporting statement and CV as part of your online application.