Head of Bioinformatics Facility (m/f/d)

Developmental and Evolutionary Biology & Genetics Immunobiology and Infection Biology & Medicine

Job Code: 807

Job Offer from May 07, 2025

The Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg (Germany) has an opening for a Head of Bioinformatics Facility position in the research group of Bioinformatics.

The position is to be filled as soon as possible and is initially limited for two years. The aim is to offer permanent employment.

The MPI-IE is a leading research institution dedicated to understanding epigenetic regulation. Our interdisciplinary environment fosters collaboration across various scientific domains, providing state-of-the-art facilities and resources.

The Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics (MPI-IE) in Freiburg, Germany, conducts basic research in two key areas of modern biology: Immunobiology and Epigenetics. Central questions address the molecular basis of cell type identities, as they are regulated during immune cell differentiation, metabolic response, and epigenetic chromatin adaptation.

We are seeking an experienced and visionary computer scientist to lead our Bioinformatics Facility. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to develop and lead their own independent research project, recruit PhD students through the IMPRS PhD program, and build a team by hiring postdoctoral researchers. In parallel, they will oversee the development and implementation of computational strategies to support and enhance research activities across the institute. This role involves close collaboration with experimental and theoretical groups and active contribution to cutting-edge research in epigenetics.

• Lead and manage the Bioinformatics Facility, ensuring the delivery of high-quality computational support.
• Lead research projects.
• Develop and maintain pipelines for the analysis of high-throughput sequencing data, including RNA-seq, ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, and single-cell and spatial omics.
• Integrate machine learning and large language models (LLMs) into bioinformatics workflows to advance data analysis capabilities.
• Collaborate with research groups to design and analyze experiments, providing bioinformatics expertise from project inception to publication.
• Supervise and mentor a team of bioinformaticians, fostering professional development and ensuring the facility’s continuous growth.
• Interact with the relevant scientific infrastructure at the institute.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and methodologies in bioinformatics, implementing innovative solutions to meet evolving research needs.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Proven experience in managing bioinformatics projects and teams within a research setting.
• Strong background in analyzing high-throughput sequencing data and developing computational pipelines.
• Expertise in machine learning, with a particular emphasis on the application of large language models (LLMs) in biological data analysis.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, and familiarity with bioinformatics tools and databases.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams.

Our offer

Located in a region that connects Germany, France, and Switzerland, our institute offers an international research environment with outstanding infrastructure facilities and a positive working atmosphere that places a high value on work-life balance.

• Payment according to TVöD up to a maximum of E14 if the collectively agreed and personal requirements are fulfilled.
• Social benefits in line with public service (VBL).
• Additional performance-related remuneration component.
• Professional training and development opportunities.
• Access to cutting-edge technologies and computational resources.
• Good public transport connections and subsidy for a job ticket.
• Challenging work in a modern working environment.
• Mobile working at a location of your choice within Germany is possible up to a maximum of 40% of the regular weekly working hours in justified cases.
• Catering provided by the institute\’s own cafeteria on site and shopping facilities within walking distance.
• Dual-Career-Support and Welcome-Service.
• Family-friendly offers (affiliated daycare center at the institute, parent-child room, breastfeeding room).

We value and promote diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunities, so we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We particularly encourage applications from severely disabled people and aim to increase the proportion of women in underrepresented areas.

Your application

If interested, please apply with your complete application documents (letter of motivation, CV including publication list, certificates, contact information for at least three references) via our online portal by June 5, 2025 .

For scientific inquiries, please contact:

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