Postdoctoral Researcher

Hours per week 37 Project Title Predicting plant growth in naturally fluctuating conditions Expected/Ideal Start Date 01 Mar 2024 Months Duration 18 Interview Date 15 Mar 2024

Job Description

Main Purpose of the Job

The aim of this project is to investigate interactions between circadian rhythms and environmental conditions that influence to plant development under natural conditions, using AI approaches. The work involves developing new methods to understand programs of gene expression, developmental transformations and environment interactions using machine learning/artificial intelligence.

Key Relationships

Internal: Professor Antony Dodd and Dr Pirita Paajanen, research group members, and scientists in both the Cell and Developmental Biology and Computational and Systems Biology departments at JIC.The Postdoctoral Researcher will work closely with Dr Pirita Paajanen in the JIC Informatics team in the Department of Computational and Systems Biology. External: International collaborators, particularly Professor Hiroshi Kudoh and his group members at the Center for Ecological Research of Kyoto University.

Main Activities & Responsibilities

Percentage Collect, manage and clean data for machine learning analysis. 25 Develop and apply new methods to analyse these data using AI approaches. 25 Prepare and analyse results, reports and manuscripts for publication in leading scientific journals and other relevant media 15 Liaise closely with external international collaborators within the project. 10 Collaborate with colleagues within the institute in the development of original and world-class research, including contributing to research proposals and grant applications 5 Continually strive for excellence, seeking out and acting on feedback and relevant learning and development opportunities. 5 Disseminate research findings through presentations to various audiences at internal, national and international meetings. 5 Contribute where necessary to the smooth running of the research group. 5 As agreed with line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the post. 5

Person Profile

Education & Qualifications

Requirement Importance PhD in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Biology or a related discipline Essential BSc in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Biology or a related discipline Essential

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

Requirement Importance Ability to understand the key features of biological problems that are amenable to computational approaches Essential Expertise in the computational analysis and management of biological data Essential Programming skills suitable for using common AI packages (e.g. Python) Essential Understanding of importance of model systems including Arabidopsis for plant sciences research Essential General problem-solving skills Essential Background in statistics Desirable

Requirement Importance Experience of oral research presentations Essential Experience with AI methods, techniques and tools including comparative evaluation of tool effectiveness and adaptation of existing tools Essential Experience in the successful preparation of scientific publications Essential Working in a HPC (High Performance Computing) environments with associated tools (schedulers such as LSF, SLURM, etc.) Desirable Experience with version control systems and associated hosting, such as Git and GitHub Desirable Experience with application of AI-related methods to biological problems Desirable Experience of working in the plant sciences Desirable

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

Requirement Importance Ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, nationally and internationally Essential Demonstrated ability to work independently, effectively and productively within a collaborative scientific research team Essential Ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders Essential Enthusiastic and self-motivated Essential Ability to interact effectively with scientists to discuss techniques and data, and to present technical concepts clearly. Essential Excellent time management and organisational skills Essential Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to work as part of a diverse team across cultural boundaries. Essential Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to present complex information with clarity Essential Promotes and strives for continuous improvement Essential

Additional Requirements

Requirement Importance Attention to detail Essential Ability to undertake occasional travel (national and international), for example in relation to the laboratory of Professor Hiroshi Kudoh Essential Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate Essential Willingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to work Essential Promotes equality and values diversity Essential Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required Essential Able to present a positive image of self and the Institute, promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the Institute Essential

Who We Are

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial genetics, carrying out fundamental and strategic research, to train scientists and making our findings available to society.

Our research makes use of a wide range of disciplines in the biological and chemical sciences including; cell biology, biochemistry, chemistry, genetics and molecular biology.

We pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive working environment for all. We have a diverse and multicultural scientific community and thrive on our European and international links, appointing staff from across the world. Any candidate who would like further information on current or anticipated immigration requirements can contact the HR Team on or .

We are proud to hold a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award , recognising the impact of our work in promoting gender equality in science. We are also a proud member of the Stonewall Diversity Champion’s programme , a founding signatory of the Tecnician Commitment and, as a Disability Confident employer, guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852), limited by guarantee (registered in England No. 511709).

Department

Cell & Developmental Biology

Development continues throughout the life of the plant. While many linear pathways affecting development have been discovered and are illustrated by elegant genetic studies, the challenge of the future will be for us to understand how these developmental pathways are integrated, both with themselves as well as with environmental signals, to enable a mature plant to grow from a seed. Guided by evolutionary principles, the Department uses its knowledge of biological processes obtained in laboratory organisms such as Arabidopsis to understand processes in crop plants such as Brassicas and cereals. To study this interaction of the plant genome with internal developmental networks and the environment, the Department uses a combination of genetic, cell biological, molecular and evolutionary strategies. The insights we are gaining provide both an increasingly detailed knowledge of the proteins involved in diverse regulatory mechanisms and a conceptual framework in which this knowledge can be related and eventually integrated into a molecular description of plant cell function. The knowledge the department is creating is relevant to agriculture. Genes that control plant stature, form, over-wintering responses and growth are potentially useful for improving crop performance.

This project is based in the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and the Department of Computational and Systems Biology at John Innes Centre. The Dodd group focuses on how circadian rhythms adapt plants and microorganisms to their fluctuating environments. In plants, circadian regulation has a key role in the control of metabolism, physiology and development. Circadian rhythms are self-sustaining biological cycles with a period of about 24 h, that provide a biological measure of time. The Dodd lab provides a collaborative space that supports diversity in science and positive working culture. The project is embedded within and exciting international collaboration with Professor Hiroshi Kudoh from Kyoto University in Japan. The JIC Informatics team’s mission is to provide excellent support in both bioinformatics and scientific computing. We lead or join research projects with a large bioinformatics component, we solve novel challenges at the cutting edge of bioinformatics and scientific computing. We also monitor advances in the field and enable new technologies as capabilities of JIC.

Postdoctoral Researcher
Salary: £35,300 - £43,750 per annum depending on qualifications and experience.
Contract: 18 months, full time
Location: John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK.
Closing date: 6 March 2024
Reference: 1004612 An exciting opportunity has arisen in the laboratory of Professor Antony Dodd for a Postdoctoral Researcher, focused on using artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand gene expression programs associated with plant growth and development under natural conditions. About the John Innes Centre: The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial sciences. We nurture a creative, curiosity-led approach to answering fundamental questions in bioscience, and translate that knowledge into societal benefits. Our strategic vision, Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet , sets out our ambitious long-term goals for the game changing impact of our science globally. Our employees enjoy access to state-of-the-art technology and a diverse range of specialist training opportunities, including support for leadership and management. Click here to find out more about working at the John Innes Centre. About the Dodd Group: The Dodd group focuses on how circadian rhythms adapt plants and microorganisms to their fluctuating environments. In plants, circadian regulation has a key role in the control of metabolism, physiology and development. Circadian rhythms are self-sustaining biological cycles with a period of about 24 h, that provide a biological measure of time. The Dodd lab provides a collaborative space that supports diversity in science and positive working culture. The project is embedded within an exciting international collaboration with Professor Hiroshi Kudoh, from Kyoto University in Japan. The role: You will use large-scale transcriptomic and observational data, combined with cutting edge AI techniques, to transfer understanding of research into plant circadian rhythms and phenology from controlled laboratory conditions into natural conditions. This is represents a crucial problem for understanding responses of plants, including crops, to future climates. This project is based in the JIC Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, working closely with Dr Pirita Paajanen in the JIC Department of Computational and Systems Biology, and in collaboration with Professor Hiroshi Kudoh at Kyoto University. The ideal candidate: You will have a PhD in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Biology, or a related discipline. You will have in-depth knowledge of computational analysis and management of biological data. The post holder will have demonstrable experience in AI methods, techniques and tools including comparative evaluation of tool effectiveness and adaptation of existing tools, it is desirable if you have experience with version control systems and associated hosting, such as Git and GitHub. Additional information: Interviews will be held on 15 March 2024. For further information and details of how to apply, please visit our website or contact the Human Resources team on or quoting reference 1004612. This role meets the criteria for a visa application, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Please contact the Human Resources Team if you have any questions regarding your application or visa options. We are an equal opportunities employer, actively supporting inclusivity and diversity. As a Disability Confident organisation, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. We are proud to hold a prestigious Gold Athena SWAN award in recognition of our inclusive culture, commitment and good practices towards advancing of gender equality. We offer an exciting, stimulating, diverse research environment and actively promote a family friendly workplace. The Institute is also a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme. The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852) grant-aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.