The successful candidate will be part of the EU funded ERC Advanced Grant ‘From GWAS to Function (GWAS2FUNC)’, and will focus on developing novel statistical genetic tools using GWAS data, that can be used for optimizing e.g. risk prediction, improving current genetic models or understanding biology. The candidate will work in an enthusiastic team of PhD students and postdocs, with diverse backgrounds, including statistics, bioinformatics, artificial intelligence, neuroscience, psychology and stem cell biology.

We are seeking a highly motivated, talented individual. You are required to handle large genetic and genomic datasets, with information on brain-related traits (e.g. cognition, schizophrenia, autism, mental retardation, neurodegenerative disorders), and subsequent bioinformatics annotation. The successful candidate needs to be proficient in statistics and statistical programming, and practical experience in the analysis of genomics data (e.g. expression data, GWAS, WGS, WES).

Your duties

• develop novel statistical tools for analyzing genome wide data, e.g. including
  GxE, risk prediction and multivariate genetic analyses
• co-supervision of MSc and PhD students
• authoring and co-authoring manuscripts submitted to high quality journals
• some support (10% of time) with teaching is expected
• frequently present work at international community (at conference calls, or
  conferences)

• PhD in any of the of the following fields: statistical genetics, bioinformatics,
  computational biology or related quantitative/computational field
• demonstrable experience in genetic data analysis, and in working with large
  datasets
• a good ability to write and read English
• strong computer programming skills, experience with the R statistical language and working in a UNIX environment
• support ‘open science’: share tools and data with the wider scientific community

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

A challenging position in a socially involved organization. On full-time basis the remuneration amounts to a minimum gross monthly salary of €2,709 (scale 10)
and a maximum €4,274 (scale 10), depending on your education and experience. The job profile: is based on the university job ranking system and is vacant for at least 0.8 FTE.

The initial employment contract will affect a period of 1 year, with the possibility of extension.
Additionally, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam offers excellent fringe benefits and various schemes and regulations to promote a good work/life balance, such as:

• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus

The ambition of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is clear: to contribute to a better world through outstanding education and ground-breaking research. And to be a university where personal education and societal involvement play a leading role. Where people from different disciplines and backgrounds work together on innovations and on generating new knowledge. Our teaching and research embrace the whole spectrum of science – from the humanities, the social sciences and the pure sciences through to the life sciences and the medical sciences.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is home to more than 24,500 students. We employ more than 4,600 individuals. The VU campus is easily accessible, located in the heart of Amsterdam’s Zuidas district, a truly inspiring environment for teaching and research.

Diversity
Diversity is one of our university’s core values. We are an inclusive community, and we believe that diversity and international activities enhance the quality of education and research. We are always looking for people who can enhance diversity on our campus thanks to their background and experience.

The Faculty of Science
The Faculty of Science inspires researchers and students to find sustainable solutions for complex societal issues. From forest fires to big data, from obesity to medicines and from molecules to the moon: our teaching and research programmes cover the full spectrum of the natural sciences. We share knowledge and experience with leading research institutes and industries, both here in the Netherlands and abroad.

Working at the Faculty of Science means working with students, PhD candidates and researchers, all with a clear focus on their field and a broad view of the world. We employ more than 1,250 staff members, and we are home to around 6,000 students.
 
About the department of Complex Trait Genetics
Research at the department of Complex Trait Genetics focuses on identifying the genetic mechanisms of brain-related traits. We develop novel statistical and bioinformatics tools to optimally analyze large genome-wide data sets for complex traits, combine them with biological data and generate hypotheses that can be tested in functional studies to obtain mechanistic insight.