Job Description:

The School of Medicine, Dentistry & Biomedical Sciences (MDBS) at Queen’s University Belfast, is currently seeking to appoint an exceptional candidate to the post of Research Fellow within the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research.  

BPCC Genomics and Bioinformatics Fellow”, has been funded as part of the philanthropically funded Belfast Prostate Cancer Centre (BPCC) in the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (PGJCCR) at Queen’s University Belfast. Where they will not only contribute to substantial ongoing research programme building on datasets from lab and clinical studies developed as part of the ongoing FastMan PCUK-Movember Prostate Cancer Centre of Excellence (CoE) (a joint research programme with the CRUK Manchester Institute). The successful candidate will also be expected to develop their own avenues of research toward fellowship and funding applications.  

This successful candidate will build and apply novel genomic analysis and integration strategies to support research aimed at discovering and validating novel treatment approaches to improve treatment outcomes for men with locally advance prostate cancer treated with radiotherapy. This will include applying a range of methodologies for integrative analysis of a range of cutting-edge genomics datasets including machine learning and deep learning approaches across a range of genomics datatypes including RNA-seq, low pass copy number, targeted DNA panels, single cell and spatial transcriptomics as well as epigenetic profiling (ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq). They will also support AI/ML efforts to integrate these data modalities with longitudinal clinical, pathological and imaging data including unique digital pathology and radiomics datasets.  

Working directly within the McDade group they will also provide support for managing genomics data-processing and analysis pipelines to enable data interpretation to support research in broader research groups. They will also contribute to teaching and research supervision within the School and will contribute to manuscript and grant writing as appropriate.

The successful candidate must have, and your application should clearly demonstrate you have:

• Obtained or be about to obtain (submitted) a PhD in Genetics, Bioinformatics or a closely related area such as Computer Science or Mathematics (with relevant research experience).
• At least three years’ relevant research experience to include:
  • Significant experience designing, developing, managing, and analysing NGS methodologies, technologies, and data
  • Significant relevant experience with end-to-end analysis and interpretation of genomic datasets generation and analysis (for example Exomes, genomes, ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, ATAC-seq)
  • Experience with downstream analysis and integration and interpretation of mulit-iomics date
  • Experience of working with Linux/UNIX Compute environments
  • Experience of programming (PERL, python, R and Shell scripting) and data processing
  • Experience utilising Open Source genomics software and packages e.g. Bioconductor and python packages.

Please note the above are not an exhaustive list. For further information about the role including the essential and desirable criteria please click the Candidate Information link below.

This post is fixed term for 36 months or until 30 June 2026, whichever is sooner. Fixed term contract posts are available for the stated period in the first instance but in particular circumstances may be renewed or made permanent subject to availability of funding.

At Queen’s our people are at the heart of everything we do. As a staff member you will become part of a vibrant organisational culture, which will provide you with the opportunity to achieve your full potential and enhance your career through a continuous focus on learning and development.  

We offer an excellent employment package that includes:

• Great terms & conditions
• Pension schemes
• Flexible working by enabling you to design your working week in collaboration with your manager through a blend of remote and office working                              
• Family-friendly initiatives
• Career development opportunities
• Support for health & mental wellbeing
• Generous holiday entitlement of 8.4 weeks a year (made up of 23 days annual leave, 10 closure days and 9 bank holidays)

 Queen’s University is committed to promoting equality of opportunity to all. We have created an inclusive culture by establishing staff networks such as iRise (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network) and PRISM (LGBTQ+) which help us progress equality.  

We also subscribe to Equality Charter Marks such as the Diversity Charter Mark NI in addition to Athena Swan. For further information on our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, please visit: www.qub.ac.uk/diversity; www.qub.ac.uk/qgi and www.qub.ac.uk/sites/StaffGateway/StaffNetworks/   

Informal enquiries may be directed to Suneil Jain at s.jain@qub.ac.uk   

Candidate Information
About the Centre
Attractive Reward Package 
Information for International Applicants