Scientist Molecular Taxonomy (m/f/d)

Scientist Molecular Taxonomy (m/f/d)

Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures, Braunschweig

The Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures establishes an integrated suite of scientific databases of fundamental relevance for life sciences. The databases include BRENDA, SILVA, LPSN, Bac Dive and TYGS which are developed in a highly coordinated manner. A dedicated team of 22 scientists and software engineers creates a research data infrastructure which will significantly improve the access to curated and standardized biological data. The resulting data platform DSMZ Digital Diversity will provide an integrated resource and will allow to link and comprehensively analyze the different types of scientific data from all domains of life sciences. For more information visit stb.dsmz.de.

Scientist Molecular Taxonomy (m/f/d)

The position has a salary level according to TV-L 13 and is initially limited to 2 years with the perspective to become a permanent position . The position is offered as full time (39.8 hours per week).

The renowned SILVA database provides comprehensive quality checked ribosomal RNA reference sequence data and accompanying web services and tools. The datasets are used by thousands of researchers worldwide as a basis for their research. Therefore, quality is an extremely important part of all our work, including the software development behind SILVA.

As a member of the team, you will be primarily responsible for the taxonomic framework of SILVA by aligning it with related resources of the DSMZ Digital Diversity platform as well as with external resources like GTDB and RDP. Particularly, you will be responsible for creating a reference taxonomy by integrating several internal and external resources of nomenclature and classification. This also includes defining and naming clades of uncultured organisms. The position is designed as a central knowledge hub for molecular taxonomy at DSMZ and beyond.

Your responsibilities:

• Further developing and curating the SILVA taxonomy with respect to international developments, including the integration of external taxonomies
• Adapting the SILVA service portfolio to account for current and future needs in microbial ecology
• Curating the reference datasets taking into account national and international authorities like Bergey’s Manual
• Running the SILVA pipeline to calculate releases in cooperation with the team
• Providing input for improvements of the curation system and the SILVA services
• Curating and extending the SILVA reference alignment together with the team
• Answering user requests within the SILVA helpdesk
• Presentation of results in workshops and connecting with the expert communities
• Publication of results

You offer:

• Ph.D., Diploma, or Master’s degree in biology or equivalent practical experience in molecular taxonomy
• Experience in rRNA related projects is a plus
• Accuracy and quality-orientation
• Intrinsic motivation and team-spirit
• Fluent in English / knowledge in German is beneficial
• Proven ability in writing scientific publications
• Willingness to undertake occasional business travel

We offer:

• An interdisciplinary working environment with frequent exchange of experience
• Direct involvement in building a research data infrastructure
• Motivated colleagues and a pleasant working atmosphere in a scientific area
• Further development and support of scientific web services at the DSMZ
• Plenty of room for creativity & challenging topics
• Participation in the selection of personal hardware
• Opportunities for further education and training
• An employer certified according to audit berufundfamilie®, therefore flexible possibilities to combine work and family life.

This position can be located in Bremen or Braunschweig, Germany.

The DSMZ is funded by the State of Lower Saxony and the German Federal government and is a member of the Leibniz Association. The Leibniz Association strives to increase the proportion of female scientists and encourages female candidates to apply. Disabled applicants with identical technical and personal qualifications will be preferentially selected.

In the case of degrees obtained abroad, proof of equivalence with a German degree must be enclosed. For further information, please refer to the website of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).

The DSMZ is an equal opportunity employer, supports balanced work-life career development, and holds the certificate of the audit beruf und familie®.

For further information please contact Lorenz Reimer (lorenz.reimer(at)dsmz.de). Please send your complete application documents including a CV, motivation letter, summary of master/PhD thesis, copies of certificates and publication list with application number 33/23 as a single pdf file to bewerbung(at)dsmz.de (max 10 MB).