Postdoctoral Fellow in Machine Learning for Bioinformatics

Laboratory on AI for Computational Biology at the Faculty of Computer Science

HSE University

Moscow, Russia

The Laboratory on AI for Computational Biology in Moscow, Russia, invites applications for postdoctoral research positions in the field of computational tandem mass spectrometry.

The research topic

Mass spectrometry has become the de facto method to identify molecules in complex mixtures (e.g. blood, cell, food) in many areas. A mass spectrometer analyses a complex mixture of biological or chemical samples and produces tens of thousands of spectra from the input sample. These spectrum data can be considered as fingerprints of the samples and the main computational challenge is to identify the original materials (reverse engineering). Mass spectrometry is used in e.g.: (a) Proteomics to identify proteins in biological samples (e.g. blood), (b) Clinical applications to identify proteins related to cancer or other diseases, (c) Pharmaceutical analysis to determine the effects of new drugs, (d) Environmental contamination analysis to ensure that the air, drinking water, soils, and food are safe to consume and do not contain pollution, heavy metals, hormone, pesticides, and herbicides,  (e) Forensic analysis to trace of evidence in arson investigation, drug abuse, and (f) Metabolomics to identify small molecules used by bacteria for communication in microbiome, etc.

Research projects focus on development of deep machine learning methods to identify and annotate mass spectrometry data.

About HSE University

The Higher School of Economics (HSE University) is a young, dynamic and fast-growing Russian research university. Over the past 25 years, HSE University has become a leader in Russian education, while also being recognized globally.

For instance, we were the first state-run university in Russia to begin recruiting on the international academic market. We aim at being a university with a highly attuned approach to training new professionals. Therefore, we are eager to hire people with real experience, as well as basic and applied knowledge. Committed to high-quality research, HSE University now has more than 100 research institutes and centres and over 50 international research laboratories collaborating with international specialists from all over the world.

Requirements

The general requirements for the postdoctoral fellowship positions are the following:

• Candidates must hold a recent PhD in the field of Computer Science, Bioinformatics or related areas which was awarded over the last 5 years or received before starting work at HSE in a relevant field by an internationally recognized university and has been assessed by external reviewers as having the potential to pursue research that is publishable in leading peer-reviewed journals;
• Candidates should have a strong background in machine learning, bioinformatics, programming (Python, C++, GPU), ability to work in team.
• Fluent English is an obligatory condition as research and other activities are conducted in English. Knowledge of Russian is not required;
• Relevant experience will be an asset although not required.

The position involves:

• working under the direct supervision of Dr. Attila Kertesz-Farkas,
• co-lead and co-manage research projects in the laboratory with the laboratory head.
• writing research papers for international peer-reviewed journals in co-authorship with the members of the Lab.
• participation in the events of the Lab and the Department and other contribution to the Lab’s development;
• public presentations of candidate’s own research to the academic community;
• co-supervising bachelor, master and PhD students in the laboratory.
• some teaching is encouraged, though not required.

Conditions

Appointments are made for one year. Postdoctoral fellows have an opportunity of renewal of the contract (no more than two times).

HSE University offers postdoctoral fellows a competitive salary, the standard medical insurance plan, a working space equipped with a computer and free Internet access at the University.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online. Please provide a CV, a statement of research interest and a recent research paper submitted via the online application form. At least two letters of recommendation should be sent directly to the International Faculty Recruitment Office at fellowship@hse.ru before the application deadline. Please note that direct applications to the hiring laboratory may not be reviewed.

Read more about the application process here.

The deadline for the applications is February 14, 2021.

For more information:

• about Postdoctoral Fellowship - Frequently Asked Questions
• about HSE university – official web-site
• about the laboratory – official web-site of the Laboratory on AI for Computational Biology [TBA] or contact Attila Kertesz-Farkas, PhD directly
• about international specialists' life in Moscow - International Faculty Support page

If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact the International Faculty Recruitment Office at fellowship@hse.ru