Postdoctoral positions Pathogen Genomics at Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and M

Postdoctoral positions in Ancient Pathogen Genomics at Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

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We are seeking two highly motivated and independent postdoctoral researchers with a strong computational and analytical background to join our research in ancient pathogen genomics
. The positions will focus on bioinformatic, statistical, and evolutionary analyses of ancient DNA data. Each position is offered for an initial period of two years with the possibility of extension, and is expected to commence on April 1, 2026
, or as soon as possible thereafter.

The APOLLO Ancient Genomics Initiative is a pioneering research program led by Associate Professor Martin Sikora
. It brings together an interdisciplinary team with the shared goal of uncovering the evolutionary origins of human disease risk through integrated analyses of ancient human, pathogen, and environmental DNA.

The Ancient Environmental Genomics Initiative for Sustainability (AEGIS) is an interdisciplinary center led by Professor Eske Willerslev
. AEGIS unites researchers across the natural sciences, humanities, and agricultural sciences to generate knowledge that supports sustainable and biodiverse solutions to global challenges, including climate change and human health. The initiative generates and analyses large-scale ancient and modern environmental DNA (eDNA) datasets, which are integrated with ecological, geological, and archaeological context to provide insights into long-term biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics.

Both advertised positions will be based in the research group of Associate Professor Martin Sikora at the Globe Institute and will focus on ancient pathogen genomics across human, animal, and plant systems
, with an emphasis on computational and evolutionary analyses.

We value diversity and inclusivity in our research community and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences who share our commitment to innovative, interdisciplinary research.

• Developing, implementing, and applying robust bioinformatic and statistical methods to detect, authenticate, and analyse ancient pathogen DNA from large-scale ancient metagenomic shotgun sequencing datasets.
• Performing evolutionary, population genomic, and phylogenomic analyses to investigate pathogen diversity, adaptation, and transmission dynamics through time.
• Integrating ancient pathogen genomic data with archaeological, historical, and environmental context to identify factors influencing pathogen emergence, spread, and adaptation.
• Leading and contributing to the preparation of manuscripts and the dissemination of research findings in scientific journals.
• Collaborating closely with laboratory scientists, bioinformaticians, archaeologists, and historians in a highly interdisciplinary research setting.
• Assisting in the supervision of graduate students and actively contributing to the intellectual and collaborative life of the research group.

We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic postdoctoral researcher with the following competencies and experience:

• A PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, evolutionary biology, statistics, or a closely related quantitative field.
• Strong experience in the computational analysis of large-scale sequencing or metagenomic datasets.
• Proven ability to perform evolutionary, phylogenetic, population genomic, or comparative genomic analyses.
• High proficiency in data analysis and statistical programming using R and/or Python.
• Experience working in high-performance computing (HPC) environments for large-scale analyses and with workflow management tools such as Snakemake or Nextflow.
• Solid understanding of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data characteristics, limitations, and sources of bias, particularly in low-coverage or degraded DNA datasets.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to translate complex genomic results into biological insight.
• Excellent…