TheInstitute of Medical Microbiology -Selkrig Lab of Host-Microbe Interactomics- is offering following position

Postdoctoral Researcher (f/m/d) -Computational Microbiome Science / Metagenomics-

Operational area: Institute of Medical Microbiology -Selkrig Lab of Host-Microbe Interactomic-

Working hours: 100% of the full working hours in the collective agreement (currently 38.5 hours/week) Duration/Term of employment: the position is limited till 30.06.2028 in accordance with the WissZeitVG (German Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act) with option of prolongation. Start date: 01.07.2026 Remuneration/Rates: EG 13 (TV-L)

Why choose us?

We offer…

• 30 days of vacation
• A bonus of 3,000 euros for employees who help recruit employees in the care sector
• An attractive company pension scheme from VBL
• Education opportunities, including updating and upgrading
• Access to public transport
• In-house kindergarten (places subject to availability)
• Staff residences (places subject to availability and by arrangement)
• An onboarding app for new employees
• Extended opening hours in the staff restaurant

Tasks:

The postdoctoral researcher will lead the computational analysis and integration of metagenomic datasets from human cohorts and animal models to uncover microbiome-driven mechanisms underlying chronic pain within an international, multi-site research consortium.

• PhD in Bioinformatics/Computational biology, Microbiology or Microbial Ecology (with strong emphasis on computational analysis of microbiome and sequencing data), Systems Biology, Biostatistics
• Lead the analysis of shotgun metagenomic datasets from human cohorts and animal models to identify microbiome signatures associated with chronic pain
• Develop, implement, and maintain reproducible bioinformatics pipelines for processing, integration, and interpretation of multi-source microbiome data
• Integrate microbiome data with clinical, phenotypic, and experimental datasets to enable translational insights within the project
• Coordinate and collaborate across international project partners (UK, Switzerland, Romania), contributing to joint analyses, publications, and data harmonization efforts

Profile:

• Advanced metagenomics and microbiome data analysis, including processing and interpretation of shotgun sequencing datasets
• Strong programming and computational skills, particularly in languages such as Python and/or R, and experience with bioinformatics workflows
• Experience with high-throughput sequencing data and reproducible analysis pipelines, including workflow management and data handling
• Solid understanding of microbial ecology and host–microbiome interactions, ideally in the context of translational or biomedical research
• Desirable:

• Experience in multi-omics data integration, particularly in combination with clinical or phenotypic datasets
• Familiarity with clinical cohort data analysis, including data structuring and statistical evaluation
• Knowledge of reproducible research practices and data management standards, such as version control, workflow management, and FAIR principles
• Experience working in international and interdisciplinary research environments, ideally within collaborative consortia

• Proactive and self-driven working style, with the ability to independently identify problems and develop solutions
• Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the capacity to handle complex, multi-source datasets and deadlines
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills (both within the lab and with external partners), enabling effective interaction across international and interdisciplinary teams
• Adaptability and problem-solving mindset, with the ability to navigate challenges in a dynamic research environment

Application:

The application deadline for the advertised position GB-P-55594 is 24.06.2026.

Contact:

University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen, Institute of Medical Microbiology, Director Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Mathias Hornef, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074 Aachen.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Jun. -Prof. Dr. Joel Selkrig E-Mail: E-Mail: jselkrig@ukaachen.de Phone: +49 (0)241 80 88351

We look forward to receiving your application!

This job advertisement is aimed at all genders.

The RWTH Aachen University Hospital promotes equal opportunity and diversity. Applications from women are expressly sought and, in accordance with relevant laws, will be treated preferentially.

We welcome applications from people with disabilities and they will be given priority if they are equally suitable.

Employment at a fraction less than the weekly full-time working hours stated above is generally possible.

It is preferable to use our digital application portal at www.karriere.ukaachen.de to apply. The portal allows you to upload your documents to an electronic application folder, which is protected from unauthorized access. Applications received by email are transferred to our application portal and then deleted in accordance with data protection regulations. (Transmission by email is usually inadequately protected.) If you do not agree to the transfer of your data to our portal, we unfortunately cannot consider your application. The data in the portal will be deleted after the retention period has expired.