RNA Resources Project Leader

About the team/job

We are recruiting a Project Leader to spearhead the development of the RNAcentral and Rfam databases. Rfam and RNAcentral are key resources for RNA Biology that serve tens of thousands of users every year and are highly cited in the scientific literature and are currently funded by the BBSRC and Wellcome. The RNA Resources team is part of the Sequence Families group led by Alex Bateman who will oversee progress and provide scientific input. 

Your role 

You will be responsible for the day-to-day management of RNAcentral and Rfam, supervising a small team of software developers, bioinformaticians, post-docs and curators. You will coordinate the regular release of new data, maintain the continuous operation of the websites and online services, and ensure the completion of grant objectives. 

You are expected to drive the development of RNAcentral and Rfam, both from a technical and scientific perspective. This will require keeping abreast with scientific advancements in RNA science, fostering and maintaining scientific collaborations, and contributing to the codebase as required. You will develop grant applications, write scientific papers, and participate in scientific meetings such as RNA Society and ISMB, and public engagement events to disseminate the outcomes of the project. You will also organise external events such as the annual Scientific Advisory Board and RNAcentral Consortium meetings, as well as webinars and training workshops.

Above all, you must be enthusiastic about RNA biology, self-motivated, and have a strategic vision for the projects and your team. You are expected to have strong leadership qualities, but also have the ability to work collaboratively. You should have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, be able to multitask and have a proven ability to meet deadlines. You should be innovative and have great attention to detail.

Specific responsibilities:

• Manage the day-to-day operations of RNAcentral and Rfam

• Apply for funding as needed

• Maintain and establish collaborative relationships inside and outside the EBI

• Write scientific papers to update the community on the latest developments in RNAcentral and Rfam

• Organize events, including board meetings and training events

You have

• PhD level or equivalent qualification in computational, biological or related scientific discipline

• Experience of working in the field of non-coding RNA and a track record of publications in peer-review journals

• Knowledge of Python and/or Perl programming languages

• Experience with relational databases (MySQL, Postgres)

• Proficiency in Git/GitHub, Unix, and Bash

• Excellent communication skills

You might also have

• Familiarity with modern machine learning, in particular large language models

• Experience with the design and implementation of web interfaces

• Previous supervisory or managerial experience

• Previous experience working as part of a broad collaborative project

• Familiarity with cloud technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)

• Experience with high-performance computing environments and job schedulers such as SLURM

• Web development skills (JavaScript, CSS, Angular, Bootstrap)

Other Helpful Information:

Contract length: 3 years (grant based)

Salary: Monthly salary starting at £4,111 after tax but excluding pension and insurance contributions. Plus generous benefits.

Interviews: We plan to hold interviews remotely end of July 2025

Why join us

Do something meaningful
At EMBL-EBI you can apply your talent and passion to accelerate science and tackle some of humankind's greatest challenges. EMBL-EBI, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is a worldwide leader in the storage, analysis and dissemination of large biological datasets. We provide the global research community with access to publicly available databases and tools which are crucial for the advancement of healthcare, food security, and biodiversity.
 

Join a culture of innovation
We are located on the Wellcome Genome Campus, alongside other prominent research and biotech organisations, and surrounded by beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside. This is a highly collaborative and inclusive community where our employees enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. We are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their professional potential.  Watch this video to see how EMBL-EBI makes an impact.

Enjoy lots of benefits:

• Financial incentives: Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances

• Flexible working arrangements - including hybrid working patterns 

• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)

• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition public holidays

• Relocation package including installation grant (if required)

• Campus life: Free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)

• Family benefits: On-site nursery, 10 days of child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances

• Benefits for non-UK residents: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.

For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page here. 

What else you need to know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Please take a look at our International Applicants page for further information.  

• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here.

• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ & individuals from all nationalities. 

• How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.

Closing Date