Genetics and Genomics Data Scientist

Job Title: Genetics and Genomics Data Scientist

Type: Part-time- 50% position

Location: Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

About Us: The Institute for Cereal Crops Improvement (ICCR) at Tel Aviv University is a

research institute within the School of Plant Sciences and Food Security at the Faculty of Life

Sciences, dedicated to cereal crop research. The ICCR is at the forefront of innovative research

in genetics, genomics, metabolomics, and phenomics, emphasizing large-scale data

integration.

Position Overview: We are seeking a creative, forward-thinking candidate eager to push the

boundaries of genomic and bioinformatics research. The ideal candidate will have practical

experience in bioinformatics, genomics, and large-scale data analysis. This role requires

technical proficiency, analytical skills, and the ability to work both independently and

collaboratively.

The successful candidate will lead genomics and bioinformatics research at ICCR, manage

computational infrastructure, develop bioinformatics pipelines, and collaborate by providing

bioinformatics support to the ICCR research team. Candidates’ adept at these or similarly

innovative approaches will be well-suited to take on our ongoing large-scale genomic

challenges and help shape future research directions.

Research directions:

- Pan-Genome and Structural Variation Analysis – building and comparing pan-genomes

across multiple cultivars to identify large-scale structural variants, novel genes, and potential

sub-/neofunctionalization events in key gene families;

- Integrative Multi-Omics Approaches – combining genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and

metabolomic datasets to uncover regulatory networks and pinpoint functional elements (e.g.,

transcription factors) using advanced statistical or machine learning tools.

- Phylogenetics and Co-Evolution Analysis – constructing detailed phylogenetic trees,

examining co-evolving residues via machine learning, and revealing how certain mutations

lead to specialized gene or protein functions;

- Protein Structure Prediction and Active Site Analysis – employing cutting-edge algorithms

(e.g., AlphaFold) to predict 3D structures for newly discovered genes, linking these to

sequence variants and potential neofunctionalization;

- Comparative Genomics for Neofunctionalization – analyzing closely related species,

integrating genetic data to understand how regulatory changes drive gene family

diversification;

- Machine Learning / Deep Learning for Variant Effect Prediction – designing custom models

to predict the impact of genomic variants on protein function or regulatory regions, guiding

hypothesis-driven research and experimental validation.

Qualifications:

- Master’s or Ph.D. degree in Computer Sciences, Biology, Bioinformatics, or a related field.

- Proven experience in genomics and large-scale data analysis.

- Programming skills in languages such as Python, R, or C++.

- Proficiency with bioinformatics tools and databases.

- Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

- Ability to work independently and within a collaborative environment.

How to Apply: Please send resume, a cover letter detailing your relevant experience, and

contact information of at least two professional references to Prof. Yariv Brotman and Dr Nir

Sade at

brotman@tauex.tau.ac.il and

nirsa@tauex.tau.ac.il