Postdoctoral Fellow in Coorens Group

We are looking for a motivated and talented postdoctoral-level researcher with experience in genomic analyses to join the newly established Coorens group at EMBL-EBI. We study how normal cells in different tissues acquire somatic mutations, use mutations as inherent barcodes to study human development and the origins of cancer, and develop computational tools to analyse mutations in novel single-cell and spatial data.

EMBL-EBI is part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and is a world-leading bioinformatics centre providing biological data to the scientific community with expertise in data storage, analysis and representation. EMBL-EBI provides freely available data from life science experiments, performs basic research in computational biology and offers an extensive user training programme, supporting researchers in academic and industry.

Your group

Coorens Group

Cells in the human body continuously acquire mutations, either due to errors in DNA replication or damage due to exposures. This process generates an enormous amount genetic diversity within the human body and enables natural selection within tissues. Until recently, our understanding of the somatic mutation landscape of normal cells has been limited compared to that of cancer cells.

Recent reductions in sequencing costs and advancements in single-cell genomic sequencing now promise unprecedented insights into somatic mutations in normal cells. However, existing algorithms for somatic mutation calling and phylogenetic tree reconstruction have primarily been developed for cancer genomics, bulk DNA sequencing or limited numbers of single cell-derived genomic readouts. As we enter the era of massively parallel single-cell DNA sequencing, there is an urgent need for scalable algorithms capable of reconstructing and analysing somatic phylogenetic trees efficiently.

Harnessing the full potential of scalable single-cell DNA assays to study somatic mutations and phylogenies unlocks the potential to answer many fundamental biological questions, across the entire continuum of human development, aging and the emergence of disease.
 

Some recent publications pertaining to the efforts of the group:

• Coorens, T. H. H. et al. Extensive phylogenies of human development inferred from somatic mutations. Nature 597, 387–392 (2021).

• Coorens, T. H. H. et al. The human and non-human primate developmental GTEx projects. Nature 637, 557–564 (2025).

• Coorens, T. H. H. et al. The somatic mutation landscape of normal gastric epithelium. Nature 640, 418–426 (2025).

• Coorens, T. H. H. et al. The Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues Network. Nature (2025).

Your supervisor

Tim Coorens has recently joined EMBL-EBI as a Research Group Leader in May 2025. Prior to this, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard with Prof. Gad Getz and Dr Kristin Ardlie, supported by an EMBO long-term fellowship. Tim completed his PhD at the Wellcome Sanger Institute/University of Cambridge in 2021 under the auspices of Prof. Mike Stratton, Dr Iñigo Martincorena and Prof. Sam Behjati.

Your role 

The Coorens lab at EMBL-EBI is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to lead analyses and develop new algorithms and computational tools for somatic genomics and phylogenetics. The group is associated with the Somatic Mosaicism across Human Tissues (SMaHT) Network and the developmental Genotype-Tissue Expression (dGTEx) project.

Possible directions within the group include, but are not limited to:

• Analysis and computational tool development for human tissue data from the SMaHT Network, which includes

  • Spatial single cell DNA sequencing

  • Duplex sequencing

  • Long read sequencing

• Developing new computational methods for the fast and joint inference of variant calling and phylogenetics of single cells

• Developing new computational methods for the integration of multi-omics readouts of somatic mutations and functional consequences

• Analysis of childhood cancer genomes and normal tissues to deduce the origins of pediatric cancers

Potential postdocs are also encouraged to pitch their own projects and pursue their own specific research interests within the broad scientific scope of the group.

You have 

• A PhD in bioinformatics, genomics, a related data-intensive field (computer science, physics, engineering) or a biomedical field with a strong computational component

• Strong programming skills, preferably in R and/or Python, and clean code practices

• Experience with computational analysis of genomic data, algorithm development, and statistics.

• Strong communication and teamwork skills

• The desire to be a supportive, creative, and responsible team member.

• Demonstrated ability to publish research in international peer reviewed journals or sharing bioinformatic tools and code (e.g. on GitHub)

You may also have

• Experience with machine learning/AI

• Experience in cancer genomics or somatic mutation-based research

Interviews: Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a virtual call to briefly meet with Tim Coorens between July 30th and August 7th. We plan to hold final panel interviews the week of August 11th, or alternatively, the week of August 25th. If you are selected for a final interview, you will be asked to give a presentation. Details will be confirmed with selected candidates.

Contract length: This position is a 2-year contract, renewable to a maximum of 5 years.

Salary: Year 1 Stipend at rate of £3,307 per month after tax but excluding pension and insurance contributions.

Professional development support

The EMBL Fellows’ Career Service provides support and guidance to predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows across all six EMBL’s sites.

Working with a dedicated Careers Advisor, this invaluable service will help you to take informed decisions about your career planning both in the short and longer term. Whether your main interest is pursuing a career path in academia, exploring opportunities in industry or exploring an independent venture, the EMBL Fellows’ Career Service with provide you with a portfolio of activities and resources to help you.

To find out more please visit - EMBL-fellows-career-service

Why join us

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. 

Enjoy lots of employee benefits:

• Financial incentives: Monthly family and child allowances, generous stipend reviewed yearly, pension scheme, death benefit and unemployment insurances

• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working patterns 

• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family 

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

• 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 (Heidelberg & Hinxton), 10 days of child sick leave, paid maternity & parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances

• Benefits for non-residents: Visa and financial support to relocate if you're overseas

What else you need to know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Read more on our page for international applicants. 

• 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. 

• Job location: All our fellowships are based on-site (for at least part of each week). If you are living overseas, you will receive a generous relocation package to support you. 

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

• Watch this video to find out what it's like to be a Postdoc at EMBL-EBI.

• 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 below.

Closing Date