PhD candidate 'Statistical genetics'

Are you passionate about improving diagnostics and care for people with rare diseases? As a PhD candidate in bioinformatics or genomics at Radboudumc, you will develop statistical and computational methods to uncover novel gene-disease associations, investigate disease mechanisms, and link genomic findings to clinical outcomes.

You will be part of a large pan-European research initiative that brings together researchers, clinicians, and patient communities. Your project focuses on analyzing multi-omics sequencing data from thousands of patients with rare genetic disorders, using both distributed and federated computational approaches. Your key responsibilities include:

• Analyzing large-scale genomic datasets using innovative computational techniques.
• Integrating genomic, functional, and clinical data to explore disease mechanisms and identify new gene-disease associations.
• Contributing to international discovery efforts, such as annual “Solvathons” and multi-center data challenges.
• Collaborating within Data Interpretation Task Forces (DITFs) to improve variant interpretation and assess the clinical relevance of both coding and non-coding variants.
• Helping to shape best practice guidelines for genomic data interpretation across European Reference Networks (ERNs).

What we offer
This PhD position provides the opportunity to work at the interface of genomics, data science, and clinical research in a highly collaborative and international environment. You will benefit from strong mentorship, access to unique datasets, and the chance to make a direct impact on rare disease diagnosis, treatment, and patient care.

You are a motivated researcher with a strong interest in genetics, data analysis, and international collaboration. You recognize yourself in the following profile:

• You hold (or are about to complete) a Master’s degree in bioinformatics, computational biology, computer science, or a related field.
• You have strong programming and data analysis skills, for example in Python, R, and Linux.
• You are passionate about applying computational methods to biomedical challenges.
• You have a keen interest in genetics, genomics, and the biology of rare diseases.
• You are able to work independently while thriving in a collaborative, international research environment.

At Radboud university medical center, you build on your future. We are committed to providing the best care, education, and research. And we are true to our word, because we help you develop and seize opportunities and give you the room to grow. As an employer, we believe that employees should feel vital and happy at work in all stages of life. We are also committed to creating a healthy and safe working environment. Our employment conditions contribute to that. What we offer:

• Upon commencement of employment, you will start at scale 10A, step 0 (€ 3.108 based on a full-time appointment). Over a maximum period of 4 years, you will progress to scale 10A, step 3 (€3.939 based on a full-time appointment). You will also receive an 8% holiday allowance, an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a 47% to 72% bonus for working unsocial hours.
• 176 vacation hours per year based on a 36-hour working week.

At Radboudumc, you will work in a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary, and international environment. We are a leading European center for genomic medicine and rare disease research, with strong connections to clinicians, patients, and European initiatives such as ERDERA. What sets us apart is our unique position at the interface of bioinformatics, clinical genetics, and patient care. This ensures that your work will have direct clinical relevance and impact.

You will join a dynamic bioinformatics research group that combines technical excellence with strong clinical focus. You will have access to cutting-edge datasets, advanced computational infrastructure, and dedicated mentorship.

The position is based at Radboudumc in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. We support flexible and hybrid working arrangements, including the possibility to work from home part of the week. At the same time, we expect regular in-person collaboration on campus to foster team interaction and shared learning.

Radboudumc
Welcome to Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc), where scientific breakthroughs are born through the curiosity and passion of our collaborating researchers in a vibrant environment. We believe trust and excitement are crucial elements to achieving our goals, and we approach our research as teams and with the utmost rigor to make a significant impact on health and healthcare. Our researchers are driven by their fascination with the biological, psychological, and sociological mechanisms underlying health and healthcare. They collaborate with partners from all over the world to improve health outcomes for all. Radboudumc unites patient care, research, education, and corporate learning, which allows us to approach our mission to shape the health and healthcare of the future in an innovative and person-centered way.

Our ambition is to lead the way in the pursuit of prevention, sustainability, meaningful care. We believe that through our research, we can significantly improve the health and well-being of society. Join us on our mission to make a difference in healthcare. Become a part of our community of gifted researchers, professionals or patient partners who are dedicated to making a real impact on population health and healthcare.

Read what it is like to do a PhD at the Radboud University Medical Center.