Description

Salary: $63,480 - $80,000

Status: Full Time

Dr. Adam Phillippy is seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join his research group at Johns Hopkins University beginning in 2026 or early 2027. The position will be based in the Department of Computer Science in the Whiting School of Engineering, with opportunities to engage with the broader Johns Hopkins research ecosystem, including the departments of Biomedical Engineering and Genetic Medicine.

The postdoctoral researcher will develop and apply computational methods across the problems of genome assembly, comparative genomics, gene annotation, pangenomics, personalized genomes, and rare disease clinical diagnostics, with the specific focus shaped by the candidate's interests. Much of this work leverages recently developed reference pangenome databases, and their corresponding data structures, that efficiently capture the genetic variation of a species. These methods can be applied to population-scale sequencing and to the genotyping of complex structural variation. While the approaches generalize to any species, they have direct applications to human health, including the identification of such variation in the genomes of rare disease patients. This work requires expertise in algorithm design (especially on strings and graphs), software engineering, bioinformatics, and efficient programming languages. The ideal candidate will be interested in developing novel, scalable algorithms and data structures for large genomic datasets and in translating them into real-world impact. Applicants with strong computer science, algorithmic, or software engineering backgrounds are encouraged to apply, even if their prior work has not specifically focused on genomics or bioinformatics.

This is a full-time, on-site postdoctoral position with an initial appointment of 12 months and the possibility of extension based on performance and funding. Strong candidates need not meet every qualification listed below.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related technical field
• Strong publication record in relevant peer-reviewed venues and evidence of impact as measured by citations to the candidate's own work
• Strong technical background in one or more of the following:
• Bioinformatics
• Genome assembly, alignment, annotation, and variant calling
• Algorithm and data structure design, especially on strings and graphs
• Interest or experience in working on topics related to data compression, machine learning, high-performance computing, and scalable data structures
• Proficiency in a performant programming language such as C++ or Rust, a scripting language such as Python, and a shell / command line work environment
• Experience with tools such as common sequence aligners, assemblers, and pangenome software (e.g., minimap2, samtools, Verkko, vg, etc.)
• Ability to lead research projects independently, from problem formulation through analysis, implementation, and publication
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Interest in working in a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment

Application Instructions

Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae and contact information for at least writers of letters of reference. Please also indicate your earliest possible start date. 

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. The university is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or demographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the program involved.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office at [email protected]. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations at Johns Hopkins University for disabilities, medical conditions (including medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), accessibility, or religious reasons, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Background Checks

After receiving a conditional offer, the successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification. When deciding whether a candidate's conviction history is job-disqualifying, the University considers the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job being sought.

EEO is the Law

https://www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine.

Exceptions to the seasonal flu vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine (for SOM) requirement(s) may be provided to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs or medical conditions that preclude them from receiving the vaccine. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional vaccine requirements may apply, depending upon your campus. Please contact the hiring department for more information.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those candidates who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.