Postdoctoral Researcher in Predicting Evolution with Multiscale Models

A major current scientific challenge is to accurately predict evolution. However, it is very unclear whether we can predict evolution, and on what factors this depends. This project aims to elucidate the effect of community complexity on the predictability of evolution. An international consortium with members from the University of Amsterdam, Rutgers University (USA) and the University of Alberta (Canada) will set out to investigate the effect of different communities of Candida species on the evolution of antifungal resistance, with experimental, bioinformatics and mechanistic modelling approaches.

In Amsterdam, mechanistic multiscale models of Candida will be used to study how community structure affects the predictability of evolution. Close collaboration with researchers from the collaborating institutes will link experiments, modelling, theory and data analysis together to tackle this major scientific question.

This position is in the Evolutionary Systems Biology team of dr. Meike Wortel. The team focusses on developing mathematical and computational techniques to include the environment, including other species, in the analysis of evolutionary trajectories and apply this to antibiotic resistance evolution and microbial communities. To achieve this, the team combines evolutionary approaches with systems biology, which links the intricate networks that make up cells to their overserved behavior at the cell level.

The team is embedded in the Microbiology Cluster of the Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences and affiliated with interdisciplinary collaborations in Systems Biology and research on Origin and Evolution of Life and Emergence. The team uses ongoing collaborations to link theory directly to experimental systems.

What are you going to do?

Your role withing the project will be to develop computational models and theory to understand how community complexity influences the predictability of evolution. You are expected to bring your own expertise and ideas and collaborate with the PI and the collaboration groups, including being active in (online) consortium meetings, short lab visits and attending international conferences. You will lead the publication of your research outcomes and contribute to other studies within the project. As a member of the Evolutionary Systems Biology team in Amsterdam you will discuss with the other team members, present at the Microbiology and other institute seminars and take part in the supervision of BSc and MSc students.

Your experience and profile

You have/are:

• a PhD in Systems Biology, Computational Biology, Theoretical (Evolutionary) Biology or a related field with one or more publications as first author in a peer-reviewed scientific journal;
• experience with metabolic models or in modelling evolutionary dynamics;
• excellent English skills;
• excited to work in an international interdisciplinary team.

Our offer

We offer a temporary employment contract for 30.4-38 hours per week for a period of 3 years, with a probation period of 2 months. The preferred starting date is to be discussed, but the project can start directly.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between € 3,345 to € 5.278 (scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8,3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Besides the salary and a vibrant and challenging environment at Science Park we offer you multiple fringe benefits:

• 232 holiday hours per year (based on fulltime);
• multiple courses to follow from our Teaching and Learning Centre;
• multiple courses on topics such as leadership for academic staff;
• a pension at ABP for which UvA pays two third part of the contribution;
• the possibility to follow courses to learn Dutch;
• help with housing for a studio or small apartment when you’re moving from abroad.