Computational Phylogenetics Postdoc Position

Wayne Maddison, Professor and Canada Research Chair in the Departments of Zoology and Botany at UBC, has sent the following email regarding a computational phylogenetics postdoctoral position available at the University of British Columbia.

“We seek a postdoctoral computational biologist or computer scientist to contribute to the NSF-funded CIPRes project, Cyber Infrastructure for Phylogenetic Research. The CIPRes project is developing a software framework to enable larger and more flexible phylogenetics analyses through a modular architecture and distributed computing. Candidates should be skilled in programming in Java, C++ or related languages. Ideally, the successful candidate would also be conversant in evolutionary biology.

The particular duties of this postdoc will be to participate in the design and programming of (1) the general CIPRes framework and (2) Mesquite. Work on the framework will focus on the design of intermodule communication. Work on Mesquite will have as goals both the integration of Mesquite into the CIPRes system and improvement of Mesquite's analytical capabilities. Mesquite's modules span diverse areas of evolutionary analysis, from simulations of molecular evolution, to population genetics and coalescence, morphometrics and comparative method, and likelihood ancestral state reconstruction. Which area is the target of improvement may depend on the background and interests of the candidate.

Starting date can be as early as September 2004. Salary is US$30,000, plus benefits. Funding is available for 3 years; whether we offer 1, 2 or 3 years to the successful candidate is a subject for negotiation. The University of British Columbia is located in Vancouver, Canada, a beautiful city nestled between mountains and sea.

To apply, send an email to Wayne Maddison (and cc'd to Karen Needham at needham@zoology.ubc.ca) the following: (1) your curriculum vitae, (2) statement of research interests, (3) statement of expertise relevant for this project, and (4) the names of 3 referees and their email addresses. Application review will commence as early as August 1 and continue until the position is filled.

I will be in the field for the month of July; if you have questions please send emails both to me and to Karen Needham.”

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 1:08 PM on July 12, 2004