[Taxacom] Postdoc in Biodiversity Informatics

[Karen Cranston]

Postdoctoral Position in Biodiversity Informatics

A postdoctoral research position in biodiversity informatics is
available at the Field Museum of Natural History's Biodiversity
Synthesis Center (synthesis.eol.org), part of the Encyclopedia of Life
Project (eol.org). The mission of BioSynC is to advance biodiversity
science associated with the EOL along three lines: (1) accelerating
the pace of scientific discovery and advances in large-scale synthesis
in biodiversity and evolution with the use of bioinformatics tools;
(2) providing a central location for scientific working groups to
convene and explore synthetic biodiversity analyses; and (3)
supporting the growth of EOL content and cross-disciplinary use of
biodiversity information for scientific purposes.

Responsibilities: The successful candidate will be expected to carry
out original research in biodiversity and evolution in one or more
areas that blend biology with information technology  (e.g., taxonomy
and informatics of diverse organisms, phylogenetics of large species
groups, computational biology, visualization of complex biological
data, or web mobilization of images or collections data in
biodiversity). In addition, our postdocs are expected to contribute to
the incorporation of biodiversity information into the EOL, e.g., by
convening and coordinating synthesis groups to develop informatics
tools and protocols, collaborative grant writing, hosting training
workshops, and collaborating with our partner EOL institutions in such
areas as Education and Informatics.

Qualifications: PhD in a relevant scientific field such as biology or
evolution; expertise in computer programming or bioinformatics;
interest in group leadership and synthesis of ideas from multiple
disciplines; excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.

Workplace: BioSynC is a newly renovated space in the Field Museum of
Natural History, Chicago, IL.  FMNH has an active and dynamic
biodiversity research community, with extensive links to local
universities, and the successful candidate will have to the
opportunity to interact with a broad range of evolutionary biologists
in a cosmopolitan setting.

The position is a full time appointment, two years in duration, with
possibility for renewal.  Salary is in the same range as NSF
postdoctoral fellowships.  Applications are currently being accepted,
with a target date of April 15, 2010.

Please send application materials (CV, cover letter, and contact
information of three references) or inquiries by email to
biosync at fieldmuseum.org. A quality cover letter will be specific about
the independent research the applicant plans to accomplish, the
broader outreach goals of their plan, and how their work will
integrate with the Encyclopedia of Life project.