Consultant for Bioinformatics Infrastructure

Job Posting Organization:
The Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications is part of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which implements Major Programme 2, focusing on 'Nuclear Techniques for Development and Environmental Protection'. Established to enhance the capacity of Member States, the IAEA operates in various sectors including food and agriculture, human health, water resources, environment, and radiation technologies. The organization has laboratories located in Seibersdorf, Monaco, and Vienna, and aims to support sustainable development through nuclear and isotopic techniques. The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture plays a crucial role in assisting Member States in improving security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">food security and promoting sustainable agriculture through the application of nuclear techniques. The Centre consists of five sections, each with an associated laboratory, focusing on areas such as animal production and health, plant breeding and genetics, insect pest control, soil and water management, and food and environmental protection. The Animal Production and Health Section specifically aids in enhancing livestock productivity through efficient resource use and disease management.

Job Overview:
The consultant will play a pivotal role in modernizing the bioinformatics infrastructure of the Animal Production and Health Laboratory (APHL). This position involves configuring research servers into a High-Performance Computing (HPC) cluster and deploying a local Galaxy instance to improve pipeline accessibility. The consultant will be responsible for establishing automated workflows for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), Shotgun Metagenomics, and Metatranscriptomics, leveraging Machine Learning (ML) and advanced bioinformatics techniques. A significant aspect of this role is capacity building for the upcoming APHL course scheduled for November 2026, which includes developing a dedicated Virtual Machine (VM) and instructional materials. The consultant's contributions will enhance APHL's capabilities as a World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Collaborating Centre and support the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) network, ultimately enabling high-quality genomic analysis and disease diagnosis for Member States.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide technical expertise in establishing automated pipelines for the analysis and visualization of WGS, Shotgun Metagenomic, and Metatranscriptomic datasets.
• Conduct analyses for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS), Shotgun Metagenomic, and Metatranscriptomic data using advanced bioinformatics and Machine Learning (ML) tools.
• Configure research and training servers into a high-performance computer cluster optimized for large-scale data analysis.
• Deploy a local instance of Galaxy on research servers and migrate existing APHL pipelines into Galaxy Workflows to enhance accessibility for APHL staff.
• Update current APHL bioinformatics pipelines to support data analysis for various platforms including Oxford Nanopore, Ion Torrent (S5), PacBio, and Illumina.
• Prepare comprehensive training materials for the APHL course scheduled for November 202
• Develop a dedicated Virtual Machine (VM) pre-loaded with necessary software and create syntax-highlighted instructional materials to facilitate effective learning for trainees.

Required Qualifications:

• Advanced university degree (master's) in Genomics, Bioinformatics, or a related field.
• Minimum of five years of experience in bioinformatics training and capacity building, particularly in data analysis pipelines, bacterial and viral genomics, and machine learning methods for disease prediction.
• Strong background in managing High-Performance Computing facilities.
• Proficiency in oral and written English; knowledge of other official IAEA languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is considered an asset.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (master's) in Genomics, Bioinformatics, or a closely related field, which provides the foundational knowledge necessary for the technical aspects of the role.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of relevant experience in bioinformatics, specifically in training and capacity building related to data analysis pipelines, bacterial and viral genomics, and the application of machine learning methods for disease prediction. This experience should also include a strong background in managing High-Performance Computing facilities, which is crucial for the technical demands of the role.

Languages:
A good command of English is mandatory for this position, as it is the primary language of communication. Additionally, knowledge of other official IAEA languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish is considered advantageous and may enhance the candidate's profile.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy offers a daily fee of up to a maximum of €260, which is determined based on the consultant's qualifications and experience. If travel is required as part of the assignment, a daily subsistence allowance (DSA) and travel costs will be covered. It is important to note that health coverage and pension fund responsibilities lie with the consultant.