Postdoctoral Researcher in Comparative Analysis Workflows for the Tree of Life at the University of Alabama at Birmingham
The University of Alabama at Birmingham is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to work in Dr. Robert Thacker’s laboratory as part of a multi-institution award from the National Science Foundation’s Assembling, Visualizing, and Analyzing the Tree of Life (AVAToL) program. The Arbor team is building workflow software for comparative analyses of phylogenetic data at Tree of Life scales (www.arborworkflows.com).
The lab’s current test cases address three fundamental questions in evolutionary biology: 1.) The Evolutionary Process of Spatial Diversification, using species distribution data, phylogenetic relationships, and temporal data to understand processes underlying biogeographic patterns and ecological niche differentiation; 2.) The
Evolution of Symbiotic Communities, using natural evolutionary replicates to understand the tempo and mode of evolution in species interactions and the evolution of phylogenetic community structure; and 3.) The Evolution of Complex Interactions, using novel evolutionary models and analytical algorithms to understand functional
diversification during macroevolution and the evolution of interaction networks.
The successful applicant will contribute to Arbor design and case studies, primarily focusing on the evolution of symbioses, but will also develop her/his own comparative analysis project. This position will be for 1 year initially and is renewable for an additional year depending on applicant contributions to the project. Applicants should
have, or be close to obtaining, a Ph.D. in Biology or a related field, and are expected to have experience with phylogenetic analyses. Preferred applicants will possses a working knowledge of R, Perl, and/or Python.
To apply, email a single PDF document containing a cover letter, CV, statement of research interests, and contact information for at least three references to thacker@uab.edu. The e-mail subject line must include “Postdoctoral Research
Opportunity”. Review of applications will begin on March 1, 2013 and continue until the position is filled.
For more information, contact Bob Thacker (thacker@uab.edu). The UAB Office of Postdoctoral Education provides additional opportunities for training and career development (www.uab.edu/postdocs). UAB performs a pre-employment background investigation on candidates selected for employment.