All; please find below a job ad for a lab technician (technical
All; please find below a job ad for a lab technician (technical assistant) at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany. You can download a pdf with the description at: http://www.izw-berlin.de/jobseducation.html Contact information is at the end of the ad. Advertisement of vacancy The Leibniz Institute for Zooand Wildlife Research (IZW) in Berlin is Germany’s premier wildlife research institute. The IZW focuses on the life histories and mechanisms of evolutionary adaptations of mammals and birds, their limits and their conservation in natural and anthropogenically influenced environments. For the new interdisciplinary Junior Research Group, funded through the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), on “Species resilience to global change: Assessing the impact of sustainable forest management schemes on biodiversity” the IZW, together with its partner, the Centre of GeoGenetics (Prof. Dr. Tom Gilbert) of the University of Copenhagen, is looking for a: Laboratory Technician (Technical Assistant TA) (f/m) Reference 15/2013 Project This Junior Research Group uses a multidisciplinary combination of state of the art in-situ field research (camera-trapping and leech screening for host and pathogen DNA), novel molecular tools, advanced computational simulations and modelling, and high-resolution satellite images to investigate the highly threatened mammal community of Southeast Asia and its associated pathogens. Laboratory work will focus on the screening of terrestrial leeches collected in Southeast Asia. Leech screening is ideally suited to study ground-dwelling mammals and thus complements camera-trapping to assess mammal species richness. Furthermore this technique allows to distinguish individual animals, and to assess the genetic diversity that is usually neglected in biodiversity monitoring. Analysis of pathogen DNA from host blood will also allow health monitoring across a variety of species, revealing the consequences of different forest management schemes for wildlife health. Species and individual identification of hosts and the search for host pathogens derived from the leeches will be performed using molecular capture methods combined with second generation sequencing on IonTorrent PGM and Illumina MiSeq platforms. Prerequisites - Strong molecular biology skills; - Preferably, experience working with small quantities of DNA (i.e. degraded DNA obtained from ancient samples or faecal samples); - Experience with next generation sequencing; - Basic bioinformatics knowledge (primer design, blast, alignments etc.) is required and experience with next generation sequencing data analysis is advantageous - Proficiency in English (especially oral as we have an international research team). We offer state-of-the-art methodology and a stimulating international research environment in an interdisciplinary, collaborative project. For enquiries or further questions, please contact the head of the Junior Research Group Dr. Andreas Wilting (IZW) Tel.: +49 (0)30 5168-333, wilt...@izw-berlin.de. Salary and benefits will be competitive (100% technical assistant salary according to the wage agreement for the federal TVöD).The position is limited to four years and will be available from 1st November 2013. Interviews will take place on the 17th and 18th of October 2013 (potentially via skype if necessary). As a member of the Leibniz Association, the IZW is an equal opportunity employer, and is determined to increase the proportion of women in successful scientific careers, and particularly encourages women to apply. Please email complete application documents as a single pdf-file including the position reference number, a letter of motivation, CV, copies of relevant degrees, as soon as possible but no later than October 15th, 2013 to perso...@izw-berlin.de or by mail to Leibniz Institute for Zoo & Wildlife Research, PF 700430, D-10324 Berlin, Germany.
