Location: Heidelberg or Karlsruhe, Germany
Institutions: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) & Heidelberg University
Center: SynGen – German Center for Synthetic Genomics
Deadline to Apply: September 1, 2025
About the Position
The research groups of Prof. Dr. Miha Modic (modiclab.org) and Dr. Alexander Sasse (link) are jointly inviting applications for a fully funded PhD or Postdoctoral position focused on the development of deep learning models to uncover gene regulatory networks in mammals.
This opportunity is part of the Carl-Zeiss Center for Synthetic Genomics, a collaborative research initiative between KIT, Heidelberg University, and Mainz, supported by the Carl-Zeiss Foundation. Candidates can be based either in Karlsruhe or Heidelberg and will work across both labs (Modic lab – RNA biology & transcriptomics, Sasse lab – sequence-to-function modeling).
Your Mission
The successful candidate will work on cutting-edge computational and experimental research aiming to understand the regulatory sequence grammar of RNA-RNA and RNA-protein interactions during mammalian development.
Key project goals include:
- Predicting RNA interaction hotspots by integrating multiomics data
- Applying network-based multimodal deep learning (e.g., edge clustering, context modeling)
- Developing S2F (sequence-to-function) models to explore how regulatory sequences influence RNA interactions
The project involves close collaboration with experimentalists at Modic Lab and researchers at King’s College London.
Who Should Apply
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree (or PhD for postdoc applicants) in:
Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology, Computational Biology, Biotechnology, or related fields - Strong background in computational biology / bioinformatics (Python and/or R experience preferred)
- Good command of English (spoken & written)
- Interest in RNA biology and RNA interaction networks
- Enthusiasm for collaborative, creative, and interdisciplinary science
Bonus Skills:
- Experience in deep learning (e.g., PyTorch or similar libraries)
- Machine learning applied to biological data
- Ability to work independently and propose original ideas
What’s Offered
- A fully funded position with salary, healthcare, flexible hours, and family services (German public sector scale)
- State-of-the-art technologies, interdisciplinary training, and structured mentorship
- A collaborative research environment across leading institutions in Heidelberg, Karlsruhe, and Mainz
- Career development: Postdoc candidates can apply to the Young Investigator Group Preparation Program (YIG Prep Pro) at KIT for tenure-track support
How to Apply
Deadline: September 1, 2025 (rolling evaluations; early applications encouraged)
Send your application (CV, short motivation letter, and two referee contacts) to:
Learn more about SynGen: https://www.syn-gen.de
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Passionate about RNA biology, genomics, and AI? This is your chance to be part of pioneering research in synthetic genomics and deep learning for biological discovery!
