Postdoc – 12 months IBENS – Structural variation in experimental evolution

Postdoctoral Position at ENS – Paris

A 12-month postdoctoral position is available at the Institut de Biologie de l’École Normale Supérieure (IBENS) to work on the SVadapt project, funded by the a PSL-Qlife Interdisciplinary Grant. SVadapt is led by François Mallard (IBENS) and Ingrid Lafontaine (IBPC) and will be hosted within the Experimental Evolutionary Genetics team.

The project investigates how structural variations (SVs) — including duplications, inversions, and translocations — influence adaptation to new environments. The research utilizes C. elegans experimental evolution conducted in controlled laboratory settings with hybrid populations derived from 16 inbred founder strains. The selected candidate will analyze whole-genome, long-read data from these founders, and will use short-read sequencing to estimate SV frequency dynamics across time series data as well as from inbred lines of the CeMEE panel.

We are seeking a postdoctoral researcher to develop and implement tools for analyzing both long-read and short-read sequencing data. The candidate should be skilled in programming and statistics, and be qualified in comparative genomics with a genuine interest in evolutionary biology. Ideally the candidate will hold a Ph.D. in evolutionary genomics or bioinformatics. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential, and while knowledge of French is not required, it is advantageous. The candidate will be expected to collaborate closely with both principal investigators’ teams, which include experimentalists and bioinformaticians, and engage with the broader research communities at IBENS, IBPC, and PSL.

This 12-month position offers a salary between 3000€ and 4500€ (depending on experience) along with associated social benefits, including access to free healthcare. For continued work beyond this period, the candidate will apply for additional funding (e.g., Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship, EMBO fellowship).

Applications should be submitted to François Mallard (francois.mallard@bio.ens.fr) and Ingrid Lafontaine (ingrid.lafontaine@ibpc.fr) as a single PDF file, including a cover letter, CV, and the contact information of the candidate’s Ph.D. advisor and one additional reference. The application deadline is January 15, 2025, and interviews will be conducted shortly thereafter with selected candidates.

The anticipated start date is March 2025. Informal inquiries regarding the position or project are welcomed.

Selected references from the host laboratories:
Mallard, F., B. Afonso and H. Teotónio. 2023. Selection and the direction of phenotypic evolution. eLife 12 : e80993, doi : 10.7554/eLife.80993.
Mallard, F., Noble, L., Guzella, T., Afonso, B., Baer, C. F., & Teotónio, H. (2023). Phenotypic stasis with genetic divergence. Peer Community Journal, 3.
Noble L., I. Chelo, T. Guzella, B. Afonso, D. Riccardi, P. Ammerman, A. Pino-Querido, S. Carvalho, A. Crist, A. Dayarian, B. Shraiman, M.V. Rockman and H. Teotónio. 2017. Polygenicity and epistasis underlie fitness-proximal traits in the Caenorhabditis elegans multiparental experimental evolution (CeMEE) panel. Genetics 207 : 1663, doi : 10.1534/genetics.117.300406.