3-year PhD position (65% TV-L E13) in "Evolutionary & Comparative Genomics" at the University of Göttingen. We study the evolutionary impact of gene and genome duplication in arthropods. Gene duplications are major drivers of evolutionary innovation, but their consequences vary significantly across lineages like insects and spiders, providing a powerful comparative framework to study the genomic and phenotypic impact of duplication events. This computational project will leverage a unique, large-scale dataset of 233 high-quality arthropod genomes to…: 1) … classify different types of duplication events and determine their impact on genome architecture and gene function. 2) … integrate multi-omics data (bulk-RNAseq, scRNAseq, long-read RNAseq, ATAC-seq) to explore how duplicated genes diverge in their protein sequences and expression patterns. 3) … study the molecular mechanisms driving this diversification, such as interlocus gene conversion, alternative splicing and the role of transposable elements in creating novel exons and divergence in gene regulation. The project is part of an interdisciplinary consortium studying the "Genomic Basis of Evolutionary Innovations (GEvol)" (Priority Programme, SPP 2349 funded by German Science Foundation (DFG)) and the PhD candidate will be tightly embedded in the international and vibrant research community at the Göttingen Research Campus and the graduate school IMPRS-GS. Regular exchange with and research visits at collaboration labs (e.g. Mathilde Cordellier, University Rostock) provide further opportunities for personal and professional development. What you should bring: bioinformatic and statistical skills in one or more of the following areas: comparative genomics, orthology, RNAseq, long-read RNAseq, single-cell RNAseq, ATACseq, integration of multi-omics data, phylogenomics and genome assembly/annotation. Inquiries should be sent to Nico Posnien (nposnie@gwdg.de). Application deadline: January 14, 2026 Apply here: https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/556704.html Nico Posnien (he/him) #gernperDu #CallMeByMyFirstName Georg-August-University Göttingen Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology Department of Developmental Biology Ernst-Caspari-Haus (GZMB) Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11 37077 Göttingen Germany Phone: +49 (0) 55139 28662 E-mail:nposnie@gwdg.de Website:http://www.posnien-lab.net Bluesky: @posnienlab.bsky.social "Posnien, Nico" (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)