Postdoctoral Fellow in Evolutionary Genetics Project: From eggs to live offspring: reconstructing an evolutionary pathway to novelty Location: University College London, UK Contract: 3 year initial contract with funding to extend, 1 year probation; start date flexible Salary: £45,103 - £48,679 depending on experience Closing date: 24-Mar-2026 We are seeking an enthusiastic early career researcher to design, develop, and work with a large population genomic dataset to study the pathway between egg-laying and live-bearing in Littorina snails. The project will be supported by a research technician. Building on past work (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adi2982), the Fellow will (i) use new genealogical methods (ARGs) to identify and (ii) date alleles that underpin the transition in reproductive mode and determine whether they act as primary barriers to gene flow between sympatric egg-laying and live-bearing species. This position is funded by a Future Leaders Fellowship led by Dr. Sean Stankowski, in collaboration with project partners from the Sanger Institute (Dr. Joana Meier), the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (Dr. Nick Barton), The University of Gothenburg (Dr. Kerstin Johannesson and Dr. Erical Leder) and the University of Göttingen (Dr. Daniel Jackson). Please visit the project website for how this position fits in with the broader goals of this collaborative project. What we offer - A fully-funded 3 -year position, with funds available to extend the position for several additional years. - The opportunity to collaborate and interact with members of the Littorina research community (https://littorina.at.biopolis.pt/home), and project partners at the Sanger Institute (Joana Meier), Institute of Science and Technology Austria (Nick Barton), University of Gothenburg (Kerstin Johannesson & Erical Leder), among others. - Funding to attend international conferences to build your scientific network - Space and encouragement to develop ideas that go beyond the original proposal - Active mentoring on publishing, grant writing, and career strategy - Opportunities to mentor research students - Support to apply for fellowships and build your independent research programme - Input and involvement in building the philosophy, structure, and core values of a new research group - Access to excellent resources and professional development opportunities - Support for internationally recruited employees with their transition - to work and live in the UK, including VISA and Immigration Health Surcharge costs Who we’re hoping to recruit You’ll likely be a great fit if you: - Have (or are close to completing) a PhD in evolutionary genomics or a related field - Have a demonstrated track record of communicating and publishing your research - Are comfortable analysing large genomic datasets and have experience working with tree sequences and/or ancestral recombination graphs - Have good coding skills and experience working with a HPC - Enjoy different aspects of being a biologist, not just bioinformatics - Use simulations to generate expectations and check intuition - Like thinking conceptually, not just technically - Have strong communication skills and like working as part of a team - Have the ability to develop and pursue independent research questions - You enjoy research and see it as your preferred career path The research environment You will be a founding member of the new Speciation Research Group at UCL, one of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities (https://www.ucl.ac.uk/research). You will be housed in the Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment (GEE), which provides an internationally recognised research environment and environmental science, and an established culture of interdisciplinary collaboration. Commitment to inclusive research We are committed to building an inclusive, supportive research environment and strongly encourage applications from candidates from groups historically under-represented in evolutionary biology. How to apply Please apply via the UCL jobs website https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/search-ucl-jobs/details?jobId=42298&jobTitle=Research+Fellow+in+Evolutionary+Genomics Informal enquiries very welcome! Email: s.stankowski@ucl.ac.uk Sean Stankowski Senior Research Fellow University College London Sean Stankowski (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to golding@mcmaster.ca)