Scientific Curator -- ZFIN

Scientific Curator -- ZFIN

Job no: 530365

Work type: Faculty - Career

Location: Eugene, OR

Categories: Biology/Life Sciences, Research/Scientific/Grants, Neuroscience

Department: Institute of Neuroscience
Rank: Research Assistant
Annual Basis: 12 Month

Review of Applications Begins

October 7, 2022; position open until filled

Special Instructions to Applicants

Complete applications will include a CV and cover letter.

Department Summary

ZFIN, the Zebrafish Information Network, located at the University of Oregon (UO) in Eugene, is seeking a scientific curator to join our dynamic, interactive team of biologists and computer scientists. ZFIN supports the international zebrafish research community by curating zebrafish genetic, genomic, gene expression, phenotype, disease model and gene function data and providing access to this data via web interfaces, APIs and data downloads.

Zebrafish are one of several model organisms studied extensively by scientists around the world to understand fundamental biology. ZFIN has recently joined forces with 5 other model organism databases to form the Alliance of Genome Resources, a large consortium of scientists and developers spread across more than ten institutions in Europe and North America. The Alliance of Genome Resources (www.alliancegenome.org) is designed to facilitate the use of model organisms in research and aims to provide a unified platform to access harmonized model organism data to further the understanding of the genetic and genomic basis of human biology, health and disease.

Working as a ZFIN scientific curator, as well as contributing to integration and harmonization of zebrafish data at the Alliance of Genome resources, you will have an excellent opportunity to contribute to the scientific knowledgebase of the international zebrafish research community.

Position Summary

ZFIN, the Zebrafish Information Network, seeks a scientific curator to join our dynamic, interactive team of biologists and computer scientists at the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon.

Scientific curation is the process of translating scientific knowledge from research articles into databases where disparate pieces of scientific data are integrated to generate scientific knowledgebases that help propel research forward and is an attractive career path for creative scientists looking to take their career in a digital direction.

As a ZFIN scientific curator you will:

• Read the latest zebrafish literature and add published data, including mutants, gene expression, phenotype, human disease model, and gene ontology data to the ZFIN database.
  
• Work with research laboratories to incorporate direct data submissions into ZFIN.
  
• Integrate data from external resources, such as the whole genome sequence, with curated data available in ZFIN.
  
• Collaborate with computer scientists to facilitate cross-species comparisons and strengthen the link between zebrafish research data and the understanding of human disease.
  
• Work with computer scientists to develop ZFIN web pages to increase access to scientific data.
  
• Actively contribute to the integration of zebrafish research data at the Alliance of Genome Resources, alliancegenome.org.
  
• Attend and present posters and talks at scientific meetings.
  
• Contribute to the production of ZFIN publications and grants.
  
  This is a funding contingent career faculty appointment that will be filled at the Research Assistant or Associate level based on qualifications and experience.
  
  For more information about ZFIN and this position, please visit: zfin.org
  
  Minimum Requirements
  
  Research Assistant rank:
  
• M.Sc. degree with 3 years of independent research experience.
  
  Research Associate rank:
  
• Ph.D. degree in life sciences.
  
  Professional Competencies
  
  
• Significant research expertise in developmental genetics.
  
• Ability to work at a computer the majority of the time.
  
• Effective communication skills.
  
• Strong attention to detail.
  
• Ability to handle multiple complex tasks simultaneously with minimal oversight.
  
• Ability to work effectively independently as well as on cross-functional teams.
  
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills.
  
• Ability to be flexible with quickly changing business needs and new technologies.
  
• Ability to meet deadlines and take responsibility for delivering timely software and data releases.
  
  Preferred Qualifications
  
  
• Ph.D. in life sciences.
  
• Experience with major biological databases (NCBI, model organism databases, Ensembl, UniProt, etc.).
  
• Experience with bioinformatics tools (e.g. BLAST).
  
• Familiarity with ontologies such as anatomy ontologies, gene ontology, etc.
  
• Basic skills in a scripting language such as Perl or Python.
  
• Relocation to Eugene is preferred, but not required.
  
  University of Oregon students and employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. For additional information see: https://hr.uoregon.edu/uo-covid-19-vaccination-requirement-employee-process.
  
  The University of Oregon is proud to offer a robust benefits package to eligible employees, including health insurance, retirement plans and paid time off. For more information about benefits, visit http://hr.uoregon.edu/careers/about-benefits.
  
  The University of Oregon is an equal opportunity, affirmative action institution committed to cultural diversity and compliance with the ADA. The University encourages all qualified individuals to apply, and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. The University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. To request an accommodation in connection with the application process, please contact us at uocareers@uoregon.edu or 541-346-5112.
  
  UO prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression in all programs, activities and employment practices as required by Title IX, other applicable laws, and policies. Retaliation is prohibited by UO policy. Questions may be referred to the Title IX Coordinator, Office of Civil Rights Compliance, or to the Office for Civil Rights. Contact information, related policies, and complaint procedures are listed on the statement of non-discrimination.
  
  In compliance with federal law, the University of Oregon prepares an annual report on campus security and fire safety programs and services. The Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is available online at https://clery.uoregon.edu/annual-campus-security-and-fire-safety-report.
  
  
  
  To apply, visit https://careers.uoregon.edu/en-us/job/530365/scientific-curator-zfin
  
  
  
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