Location: Genoscope – CEA, Évry (France)
Team: LABGeM (Laboratory of Bioinformatics for Genomics and Metabolism)
Start Date: As soon as possible, ideally November/December 2025
Duration: 28 months
Remuneration: According to qualifications and experience (CEA salary scale)
Application Deadline: 30 September 2025
Keywords: Metagenomics, Genome Annotation, Enzyme Discovery, Plastic Biodegradation, Bioinformatics
Project: BioPlastOmics – Harnessing microbial diversity to tackle micro- and nanoplastics pollution
BioPlastOmics is an ambitious international project funded under the Biodiversa+ program, aiming to explore Brazil’s exceptional biodiversity for sustainable solutions to plastic pollution. Our goal is to identify and characterize microbial communities and enzymes capable of degrading persistent plastics (PE, PS, PET) through an integrative approach combining microbiology, environmental genomics, bioinformatics, and wet-lab functional characterization.
The postdoctoral researcher will contribute to Work Package 2 (WP2): Bioinformatics analysis of microbial communities and enzymes, leading the computational efforts to discover and analyze novel microbial strains and enzymes involved in plastic degradation.
You will join the LABGeM team (Laboratory of Bioinformatics for Genomics and Metabolism) at Genoscope – CEA, a world-class research center in environmental genomics and bioinformatics. LABGeM develops cutting-edge tools and databases for microbial genome analysis, including the widely used MicroScope platform (>7,000 user accounts, >1,600 citations) for genome annotation and comparative genomics. The team has over 20 years of experience in microbial genomics, pangenomics, enzyme family characterization, and metabolic network analysis.
Main Responsibilities
- Perform genome/metagenome assembly, annotation and comparative analysis of microbial communities from Brazilian plastic-contaminated environments
- Identify enzyme families involved in plastic degradation using sequence homology, genomic context and structural analysis
- Integrate genomic and proteomic data to interpret experimental results and guide enzyme selection for downstream applications
- Contribute to the development of innovative nature-based solutions for mitigating microplastic pollution
Profile
Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Microbial Genomics, or related fields with the following skills:
- Experience in microbial genome/metagenome analysis, including assembly/binning, annotation and comparative analysis
- Expertise in bioinformatics databases and tools for functional annotation and structural analysis of protein families
- Proficiency in working with Linux clusters and scripting languages (Python, R)
- Proven research track record and ability to work in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment
We Offer
- A stimulating research environment at Genoscope – CEA, a leading center for environmental genomics and bioinformatics
- Access to cutting-edge sequencing facilities and computational resources
- Close collaboration with international partners in Brazil and Spain
- Opportunities for training, conference participation, and scientific dissemination
How to apply
Please send your CV and a covering letter to: mstam@genoscope.cns.fr and vallenet@genoscope.cns.fr