Harvard University
Location
Cambridge, MA | United States
Job description
School: Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Department/Area: Molecular and Cellular Biology
Position Description:
The team of Elena Rivas has a postdoctoral position available in the department of Molecular and Cellular Biology at Harvard University. We are seeking postdocs in computational biology with an interest in creating new methods for the identification and characterization of structural RNAs with an emphasis in identifying structured RNAs associated with particular sets of RNA binding proteins.
Our group works on methods to identify and characterize structured RNAs. We have developed computational methods such as R-scape and CaCoFold that use comparative genomic signals of conservation, variation and covariation gathered over evolutionary history to identify biologically relevant conserved RNA structures with specificity and to distinguish them from other transcripts. The lab is working in developing new methods taking advantage of recent machine learning advantages, as well as in using our existing methods to explore genomes of interest to discover yet unknown structural RNAs and functions mediated by structured RNAs. We have a NSF grant in collaboration with three other groups: Mitch Guttman (Caltech), Dave Hendrix ( OSU ) and Anton Petrov (Georgia Tech) to identify novel functional structured RNA classes by computationally integrating massive-parallel RBP binding and structure data that would support this project.
The project requires extensive knowledge of RNA structure, as well as excellent programming skills preferable with knowledge of open-source machine learning frameworks such as Pytorch and C.
The position is available any time after January 1, 2024.
Basic Qualifications:
A Ph.D. is required. Optimal candidates will have a deep understanding of methods for the computational analysis of RNA 3D structure. Candidates are expected to carry an independent research program, as there will be ample room for following your own ideas. Candidates from diverse and non-traditional backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Contact Information:
Dr. Elena Rivas
Northwest Lab Building
52 Oxford Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
Contact Email: [email protected]
Special Instructions:
Letters of recommendation are not required at the time of application; however, letters will be collected for finalists. Candidates should submit with their application contact information for three references from experts at the ladder faculty ranks or highly accomplished senior researchers from corporations or research institutes.
Please include the following items as part of your application:
- Cover letter
- Curriculum Vitae
- Name and contact information for 3 references.
Equal Opportunity Employer:
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.
About Harvard University
Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally. The University, which is based in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, has an enrollment of over 20,000 degree candidates, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Harvard has more than 360,000 alumni around the world. The University has twelve degree-granting Schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, offering a truly global education. Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.
Connections working at Harvard UniversityJob tags
Salary
