About us:

In the Statistical Genetics group at LMU Munich we develop and analyze probabilistic models for evolutionary processes and ecological interactions. Based on such explicit models we develop computational methods for statistical data analyses in population genetics and evolutionary genomics. Here we offer a PhD position supervised by Prof. Dirk Metzler in a joint project with Dr. Luisa Pallares (MPI Tübingen) on the evolution of transcriptional variability and its role in adaptation and evolutionary innovation. The project is part of the DFG priority program "Genomic Basis of Evolutionary Innovations“, in which we collaborate with many researchers at LMU and other German and international universities and research institutions.

We are looking for you:

PhD candidate in biology — theoretical and statistical modeling (m/f/x)

in Planegg

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• Contribute to the modeling of the propagation of stochastic variation in evolving gene network models.
• Develop software to simulate data according to the models.
• Contribute to the improvement of computational-statistical methods to fit the models to data, combining generalized linear mixed-effects models with novel phylogenetic models and Markov-chain Monte-Carlo methods.
• Fit the models to data of our collaboration partners and other available data set.
• Contribute to scientific publications and present research results in meetings and on conferences.
  
  

Your qualifications:

• You have completed or will soon complete a Master’s degree in a field related to biology, bioinformatics, statistics or mathematics.

• Of advantage is knowledge and experience in:

  o   mathematical modeling in evolutionary genomics and transcriptomics

  o   stochastic modeling of network interactions

  o   applying and extending statistical methods like GLMs and mixed-effect models

  o   phylogenetic methods

  o   programming, e.g. in R, python or C/C++

  o   theoretical evolutionary biology and population genetics

  o   working on Linux servers and with software like LaTeX and git

• You have good communication skills in English.

• You are highly motivated to work in a team and independently according to best scientific standards within an international and collaborative research environment, and enthusiastic about learning new methods and developing independent research expertise.
  
  

Benefits:

• Being part of a large network of researchers in genome evolution
• Working at the LMU Munich, one of Germany’s and Europe’s top universities
• A supportive mentorship environment
• Employment according to the German public service pay agreement, including health insurance, 30 days of vacation per year, pension contributions, and other social security benefits.
• In addition, you can benefit from the various LMU corporate benefits
• Remuneration depending on qualifications and experience according to TV-L E13

People with disabilities who are equally as qualified as other applicants will receive preferential treatment.

Contact:

Please send your application letter including a letter of motivation, CV and scans of degrees/certificates,  transcripts of your university education, and links to thesis, publications and other research output (e.g. git repositories) all in one pdf, by 15th of December via e-mail to Prof. Dr. Dirk Metzler

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