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University of Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a university with an internationally acclaimed profile, located at the heart of the Dutch capital. As well as a world centre for business and research, Amsterdam is a hub of cultural and media activities. The UvA is a member of the League of European Research Universities.The Faculty of Science at the UvA is one of Europe's foremost institutions of higher education and research in its chosen fields of specialization. It plays an active role in international science networks and collaborates with universities and industry. The Faculty has approximately 2,100 students and 1,500 staff members spread over 4 departments and 10 research institutes. Each institute has its own research programme, a substantial part of which is externally funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), the Dutch government, the EU and various private enterprises.
In March 2009, a large part of the Faculty moved to new premises in the Science Park Amsterdam; the entire Faculty will be located there by the end of 2010. The move will make the Park one of the largest centres of academic research in the Netherlands.
Within the Computational Science Section the Faculty's Institute of Informatics has an open position for the following project: Multi-scale modelling of calcification in scleractinian corals.
Postdoc or PhD student in Computational Biology
1.0 FTE (38 hours a week)
vacancy number 09-1055
This project is financed by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) as part of its Computational Life Sciences research programme. The project is a collaboration with the research groups headed by Prof. R.P.M. Bak (Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and Prof. D.J. Miller (James Cook University, Australia). The appointee will collaborate extensively with molecular developmental biologists.
The central research aim of this project is to characterize the genes that control the differences in coral morphology for related coral species. We will do this by making a quantitative comparison of gene expression patterns, with a special focus on genes that are involved in the process of calcification. To test the hypothesis that these genes can explain the differences in morphology, we plan to use the estimated quantities in a simulated network controlling calcification. We intend to study the emergence of the micro-morphology structure and link gene expression patterns to the corallite structure. This polyp (corallite) based model will be coupled with a macroscopic growth form model describing Ca2+ and HCO3- fluxes from the environment. A better understanding of calcification in corals is of fundamental importance in research on the potentially detrimental impact of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, decreasing ocean pH and carbonate ion concentrations on the calcification process in corals and other calcifying organisms.
Requirements
The position is open to candidates at both the PhD and the postdoc level. All candidates should hold a Master's degree (or equivalent) in scientific computing or computational science, computational physics, computational chemistry or a comparable field. Candidates must have expertise in modelling and scientific programming, an active interest in life science applications and the ability to work in an international research team. Candidates who wish to apply for the postdoc position should also have a strong research record (as evidenced by a PhD thesis and papers published in peer-reviewed journals), be fluent in both oral and written English, and be prepared to travel to a another country and integrate efficiently into a new research team.
Appointment
PhD level: This full-time appointment (38 hours a week) will be on a temporary basis for a maximum period of four years (an initial period of eighteen months, followed by a further two and a half years subject to a positive appraisal), and is expected to result in a PhD thesis. An educational plan that includes the participation in courses and national and international meetings will be drafted. The salary will be in accordance with the university regulations for academic personnel, and will range from €2,042 (first year) up to a maximum of €2,612 (final year) per month before tax. The collective employment agreement (CAO) of Dutch universities is applicable.
Postdoc level: This full-time appointment (38 hours a week) will be on a temporary basis for a maximum period of three years. The salary will be in accordance with the university regulations for academic personnel, and will range from €2,379 up to a maximum of €3,755 per month before tax (scale 10). The collective employment agreement (CAO) of Dutch universities is applicable.
Job application
Your application should comprise a letter of motivation, your CV, PDFs of your most relevant publications, and the names and contact details of two references. Email you application to Mrs J.C. Knaap-Cabi at application-science@uva.nl. The application period will remain open until the position is filled; however, a review of applications will commence on 2 November 2009 as we wish to fill the position as soon as possible. Please mention the vacancy number in the subject line and attach the relevant supporting documentation.
Closing date: 1 December 2009