Eurac Research is looking for a Postdoctoral researcher in ancient
DNA metagenomics

Please see the website for the relevant contacts, eligibility criteria,
and application procedures:

https://eurac.onboard.org/mummies_postdoc_25112024_evoldir

We are looking for a Postdoctoral researcher with strong computational
and statistical skills and with consolidated experience in metagenomics
analysis. The candidate should have expertise in the analysis of
microbial and optionally dietary or human genomic data from ancient and
modern samples.  The project will apply in-depth genomic analyses of
paleofeces from the Hallstatt salt mine to reconstruct the individual
dietary profile and gut microbiome of the prehistoric miners. It has been
funded by the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/ Bozen South Tyrol and the
Austrian Science Fund in the framework of the Programme Joint Projects
"Progetti di cooperazione internazionale" - Alto Adige-Austria (FWF).

We offer a three-year full-time Postdoctoral position at the Eurac
Research - Institute for Mummy Studies in Bolzano, Italy.

The position is available from April 2025.

Our Institute is internationally renowned for its research on the
Iceman and other mummified and skeletal human remains of different
periods from all over the world. The position will be in the framework
of a three-year interdisciplinary Joint Research project that aims to
understand the dietary habits of our ancestors. The research focuses
on human paleofeces from the prehistoric Hallstatt salt mines. The high
salt concentration in the mine workings and the constant temperature of
8 °C have created excellent preservation conditions for organic remains
incl. millennia-old excrements. Through microscopic and molecular analyses
of these paleofeces, our team will be able not only to reconstruct the
diet of the miners that lived about 3000 years ago but also to provide
remarkably precise insights into the bacterial colonization of their
gut. The goal of this project is to gain a better understanding of the
role that complex processed foods, in particular fermentation, played
in the history of human nutrition and to observe changes in the gut
microbiome that are linked to diet.

Tasks
-       Plan and perform experiments, analyze data and synthesize
        results within an interdisciplinary project bringing together
        archaeology, archaeobotany, parasitology and zooarchaeology.
-       Perform the bioinformatic analyses of the metagenomic data
        produced from the paleofeces.
-       Phylogenetic and statistical analyses of the microbial, dietary
        and human genomic data (for details please refer to
        https://shorturl.at/pv1Nx )
-       Collaborate with the research team to develop new methodologies
        and innovative approaches.
-       Participate in scientific conferences and publication of results
        in peer-reviewed journals.

Requirements:
-       PhD degree in microbiology, computational biology,
        bioinformatics or related fields.
-       Strong computational and statistical skills with expertise in
        metagenomic analyses.
-       Proficiency in programming languages such as R and Python.
-       Experience with workflow management systems (e.g., Snakemake,
        Nextflow, or similar) is highly advantageous.
-       Proficiency in spoken and written English.
-       Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work both
        independently and collaboratively.

We offer:
We offer a three-year full-time Postdoctoral position, starting in
April 2025.  We welcome candidates who are eager to explore novel
research questions and develop creative solutions within the scope
of our projects. The candidate will have the opportunity to work in a
stimulating multidisciplinary team composed of researchers from different
fields and countries and, moreover, to collaborate with scientists from
other national (CIBIO University of Trento) and international (Austrian
Archaeological Institute at à AW, Natural History Museum Vienna, Institute
for Systems Biology Seattle, Geosphere Austria, MedUni Wien) institutions.

How to apply:
Interested candidates should submit their application (CV, cover letter
and further relevant documents) by 06.01.2025

The project "Mining and Dining - Prehistoric Salt Miners'
Foodways" (CUP: D53C23004210003) has been funded by the Autonomous
Province of Bolzano/ Bozen South Tyrol and the Austrian Science Fund
[10.55776/PIN4721024] in the framework of the Programme Joint Projects
"Progetti di cooperazione internazionale" - Alto Adige-Austria (FWF).

Please also see the job applications:
https://www.eurac.edu/en/job-opportunities

Maixner Frank <Frank.Maixner@eurac.edu>

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