PhD Position in Ancient DNA Population Genomics, University of Vienna, Austria (f/m/d)

THE POSITION:

4-Years PhD Position in Paleogenomics: Genomic Perspectives on Population Dynamics in Central Europe During the Late Bronze and Iron Ages

The University of Vienna is offering an exciting PhD position in the research group of Dr. Elmira Mohandesan, focusing on paleogenomics and the population dynamics of Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age communities in the Carpathian Basin. This project is a part of an interdisciplinary research initiative that seeks to uncover the biological, cultural, and environmental transformations that occurred during this critical period in European prehistory.

YOUR TASKS:

This project adopts a holistic approach, combining paleogenomics, isotope (Strontium, Carbon, and Nitrogen isotopes), carbon-14 dating, morphological and pathological analyses. The PhD candidate will focus on the genomics aspect of the project, particularly analysing ancient human and horse DNA samples to address key questions about population diversity, mobility, and cultural practices in Eastern and Central Europe during the Late Bronze Age to Middle Iron Age. The main tasks are outlined below:

• Ancient DNA wet-lab experiments (DNA extraction, Illumina library preparation, Quality Control, capture enrichment, etc.).

• Population genetic analysis (phylogeny, PCA, Admixture, etc).

• Documentation of data generation, and analysis procedure.

• Administration, and organisation of the generated data according to the Research Data Management (RDM) policy at the University of Vienna (https://rdm.univie.ac.at/).

• Active participation in lab meetings, seminars and journal clubs.

YOUR PROFILE

• Background in evolutionary genetics, molecular biology, population genetics, and/or bioinformatics.

• Bioinformatics skills (e.g., Unix, R, Python, Perl) and expertise in NGS genome data analysis are required.

• Basic wet-lab skills in ancient DNA field are required.

• Proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

• Ability to work independently, and efficiently within a multi-disciplinary research environment.

• Proactive and self-motivated personality.

WE OFFER:

• A 4-years funded PhD position remunerated according to the FWF personnel costs (gross salary 2.684,10 Euros per month, 14 salaries per year based on the Austrian pay roll system).

• A diverse and supportive team in an inspiring, and international setting at the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology (https://www.anthropology.at/).

• In-person scientific seminars by the invited renowned scientists around the world organised through the HEAS platform (https://www.heas.at/).

• Access to cutting-edge scientific infrastructure and computational resources through CUBE platform (https://cube.univie.ac.at/).

• Living in Austria’s capital city Vienna, located in the heart of Europe and ranks as one of the most attractive cities worldwide.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please send your application (CV, motivation letter), and names/contact information of two potential referees to Dr. Elmira Mohandesan (E-mail: elmira.mohandesan(at)univie.ac.at) by November 1st. Preferred starting date: January 2025.