Postdoctoral Scientist, Gut Microbiome, Host Genetics and Emergent Phenotypes

**The Institute**

The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) is an international biomedical research institute of excellence, based in Barcelona, Spain, with more than 400 scientists from 44 countries. The CRG is composed by an interdisciplinary, motivated and creative scientific team which is supported both by a flexible and efficient administration and by high-end and innovative technologies.

In April 2021, the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) received the renewal of the 'HR Excellence in Research' Award from the European Commission. This is a recognition of the Institute's commitment to developing an HR Strategy for Researchers, designed to bring the practices and procedures in line with the principles of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (Charter and Code).

Please, check out our Recruitment Policy

**The role**

We are seeking a postdoctoral scientist deeply interested in dissecting the interplay between gut microbiome and host genetics, taking into account that socially interacting hosts can exchange gut microbes (horizontal transmission), and evaluating the effect of these factors on emergent phenotypes (gut metabolome and host behaviour, in particular). Our lab is generating large-scale, state-of-the-art gut metagenomics data for thousands of genetically heterogeneous laboratory rats whose gut metabolome and behaviour have previously been characterised by collaborators. We are looking for a postdoctoral scientist to exploit these data in creative and rigorous ways.

**About the team**

The Social and Host-Microbiome Systems lab aims to expand our understanding of the genetic basis of complex traits to encompass genes found in the environment: genes of social partners and genes of the gut microbiota.

Foundational studies for the lab include:

- Novel insights into the genetic architecture and mechanisms of host/microbiome interactions from a multi-cohort analysis of outbred laboratory rats. Tonnele, Chen et al. bioRxiv (2025) (In Review). This study was based on 16S data but we now use only deep shotgun sequencing data to profile the microbiome.
- Dissecting indirect genetic effects from peers in laboratory mice. Baud et al. Genome Biol (2021)

**Whom** would we like to hire?**

**Professional experience**

**Must Have**
- You have proven experience processing and analysing shotgun metagenomic data
- You have proven programming competence in Python and/or R, and expertise in Linux and high-performance computing environments
- You have a genuine interest in, and prior exposure (through lab colleagues, seminars ) to, host quantitative/statistical genetics (heritability, GWAS )
- You have first-hand experience writing paper(s)

**Desirable but not required/ Nice to have**
- Knowledge on host/gut microbiome ecosystems
- Experience with Nextflow
- Experience with host quantitative/statistical genetics (heritability, GWAS )

**Education and training**
- You hold a PhD in metagenomics

**Languages**
- You are fluent in English

**Competences**
- Structured reasoning skills and attention to details, allowing you to carry out rigorous science
- Ability to progressively develop a strategy to extract novelty from the data and your results
- Organizational skills to manage multitasking (reading the literature, analysing data, preparing meetings, meeting deadlines )
- Ability to communicate effectively in meetings
- Desire and ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team

**The Offer** - Working Conditions**
- **Contract d**uration**: 3 years
- **Estimated annual gross salary**: Salary is commensurate with qualifications and consistent with our pay scales

We provide a highly stimulating environment with state-of-the-art infrastructures, and unique professional career development opportunities. To check out our training and development portfolio, please visit our website in the training section.

We **offer and**promote a diverse and inclusive environment** and welcomes applicants regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.

The **CRG is committed to reconcile a work and family life** of its employees and are offering extended vacation period and the possibility to benefit from flexible working hours.