Postdoctoral Fellow - Phillippy Lab Faculty

Overview

Dr. Adam Phillippy (https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below).) 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 genome assembly, comparative genomics, gene annotation, pan genomics, personalized genomes, and rare disease clinical diagnostics, with the specific focus shaped by the candidate's interests.

Work will leverage recently developed reference pangenome databases and data structures that efficiently capture genetic variation, allowing application to population-scale sequencing and genotyping of complex structural variation.

Approaches generalize to any species but have direct applications to human health, including identification of variation in genomes of rare disease patients.

This work requires expertise in algorithm design, 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.

• 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.

Salary: $63,480 - $80,000.

Total rewards include health, life, career, and retirement benefits as described at .

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics.

Full Time.