Position summary
The Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI) at UNC Chapel Hill is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to assist with research involved in an NSF Harnessing the Data Revolution Institute project entitled Imageomics: A New Frontier of Biological Information Powered by Knowledge-Guided Machine Learning. Work on the project at RENCI involves developing approaches for the use of bio-ontologies and other structured biological knowledge in machine-learning-based image analysis for species identification, species classification, and morphological trait extraction. This includes incorporation of ontologies into machine-learning algorithms, as well as application of ontologies to create structured output that is Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR). The candidate will work with the rest of the Imageomics Institute, including both AI researchers and biologists, to collectively define the requirements and to develop prototype ontology-based tools to help investigate a variety of biological problems.
The candidate is expected to work in a team environment together with graduate students, postdoctoral associates, and software engineers in the Imageomics Institute, and work closely with postdoc mentors (Dr. Jim Balhoff at RENCI and Dr. Hilmar Lapp of Duke University) and the rest of the Institute in defining core research directions and advancing the nascent field of imageomics. Ideally the candidate will also forge important directions for their own research and a pathway towards an independent research career.
The postdoctoral research associate will contribute to and participate in meetings, workshops, trainings, conferences; prepare and give presentations on results of the research at conferences; lead and participate in drafting scientific papers reporting results of the research for publication in scientific journals; perform other duties as requested or required to support the work of the research project.
Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
PhD in one of these fields: Biological Sciences, Biodiversity Informatics, Computer Science, Information Science, Computational Biology/Bioinformatics, Informatics, Ecoinformatics, Applied Mathematics or a related field.
Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
Experience in at least one of the following fields: Bio-ontologies, Semantic Web technologies, Image Processing, Artificial Intelligence, Genetic Algorithms, Biodiversity Informatics, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Biomedical Informatics, Ecoinformatics or a related field.
Programming experience in a language such as Python, R, Java, or Scala.
Experience in writing grant proposals and scientific publications.
Strong communication, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience
Experience in applying Bio-ontologies, Semantic Web technologies, and Artificial Intelligence/Neural Networks to biological data.
Working knowledge of Unix based operating systems and git version control.
Three years of coding experience.
Links
For information on UNC Postdoctoral Benefits and Services click here
Application
To apply online and for more information see https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/245262
