Postdoctoral researcher in evolutionary genomics

Organisation/Company Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) Research Field Biological sciences » Biology Biological sciences » Other Chemistry » Biochemistry Computer science » Programming Technology » Biotechnology Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Final date to receive applications 10 Mar 2026 - 22:59 (UTC) Country Belgium Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

For more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for f
reedom, equality and solidarity
, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.

At the VUB, you will find a diverse collection of personalities: innovators pur sang, but above all people who are 100% their authentic selves
. With some 4,000 employees
, we are the largest Dutch-speaking employer, in the private sector, in Brussels
; an international city with which we are only too happy to connect and where (around) our 4 campuses are located.

Add to this our principle of free research - in which self-reflection, a critical attitude and an open, creative mind around scientific and social issues are central - and you have a university that is fundamentally groundbreaking and pioneering in education and research. In short:
the VUB all over again
.

Moreover, the VUB is a member of EUTOPIA
, an alliance of like-minded European universities, all ready to reinvent themselves.

The Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Department Biology
, Research Group
Ecology, Evolution and Genetics
is looking for a postdoctoral researcher with a grant
.

More concretely your work package,
as a Postdoctoral researcher in evolutionary genomics of sex chromosomes and sex-specific recombination in anurans and
for the validation of your doctoral research and
, contains:

A postdoctoral position is available in the Ma lab:
Evolutionary Genomics of Sex ( ) in the Biology Department at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium). Our lab aims to understand how sex chromosomes and sex determination systems evolve, why they are highly labile in some lineages but extremely stable in others, and how recombination shapes these dynamics across the tree of life.
You will work on a project focused on sex chromosomes and extreme heterochiasmy across anuran lineages, with a particular emphasis on:

• assembling and analysing large, repeat-rich frog genomes
  ;
• performing comparative genomics across lineages with different sex-determining systems (XY, ZW, homomorphic vs differentiated sex chromosomes);
• investigating the drivers of sex chromosome turnover
  , transposable elements and repeats landscape and evolution;
• studying the evolution of sex-specific recombination rates and landscapes.

The project will involve field sampling and basic molecular lab work, and will combine long-read genome assembly, comparative and population genomics, and the analysis of recombination patterns and structural variation. Depending on the candidate’s interests and expertise, there will also be opportunities to integrate cytogenetics and/or evo-devo approaches, as appropriate to the project’s goals.

For this function, our
Brussels Humanities, Sciences & Engineering Campus (Elsene)will serve as your home base.

What do we expect from you?

• You hold a PhD in evolutionary biology, genomics, bioinformatics, or a closely related field.
• You have a solid expertise in evolutionary/population genomics and molecular evolution
  , with clear interest in sex chromosomes/sex determination, recombination (heterochiasmy), transposable elements evolution
  , or genome evolution in non-model species;
• You have a proven experience analysing high-throughput sequencing data
  , ideally including genome assembly and/or comparative genomics (large or repeat-rich genomes are a plus);
• You have strong programming and data analysis skills (e.g. Python and/or R, Unix), and you are familiar with reproducible workflows;
• You are motivated to work on frog genomes to understand
  sex chromosome turnover and the evolution of recombination…