Researcher in marine microbiology and biomonitoring

AZTI is a science and technology centre that conducts research projects in the marine and food fields, to provide products and technologies with a high impact, for organisations aligned with the United Nations 2030 SDGs. We are part of the Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA).

Your position:

AZTI is looking for a person to join a team working in the area of environmental microbiology and biomonitoring. The person selected will be working on the MicroMon project, which aims to assess and develop new indicators of anthropogenic impact on estuarine ecosystems, based on micro-organisms. The general methodology of this scheme was established in previous research and will be based on environmental DNA sequencing (eDNA). Specifically, this includes the use of (1) machine learning algorithms, (2) specialist tools for identifying new bioindicators and developing indices for predicting the state of the environment, (3) analysis of functional metagenomics data, (4) assessment of markers established by digital PCR and (5) prediction and topological analysis of species co-occurrence networks. This work is based to a great extent on the numerical analysis of data resulting from high-performance sequencing. The project will include collaborative work, including periods of research with partners in Europe and Australia.

Your impact:

This position offers the chance to develop standards and technologies for routine biomonitoring in the future, which is crucial to the conservation and management of natural resources. The work will be done in a dynamic research team, in active collaboration with an international group of colleagues, and will also help to establish future research collaboration and projects.

Type of contract: Access to the spanish science and technology system.

Duration: 3 years

What we offer you:

People are fundamental to a knowledge-based organisation like AZTI. We are the ones building the organisation's experience and culture.

That's why at AZTI we put people centre-stage, with all our needs and peculiarities and concerns for our health and well-being. As proof of this we offer you the following, among other things:

You'll be part of a great team of professionals passionate about science, research and the environment for the three years the initial contract lasts. With an Access to the science, technology and innovation system contract.

• Commitment to equality and diversity.
• You'll work 1,670 hours a year
• You'll work concentrated hours from 15th June to 15th September
• Every Friday of the year you'll work a continuous day (7 hours)
• You'll have a mixed working model with up to 3 days of remote working, tailored to the circumstances of each person and each job.
• You'll benefit from our policy on flexible starting and finishing times
• You'll be entitled to a calendar month of paid holidays
• In-house training for you to go on developing yourself and progress in the career plan that exists for you.
• You'll be able to benefit from our strong work-life balance policy, with conditions substantially better than in other organisations like ours. Among these conditions, you're sure to be interested in:
• Extended leave
• Leave for birth and baby care: entitlement to reduced hours for care of minors or invalids until they are 14 years old.
• Request advances and benefit from discounted group purchases in travel, telephony, banks, private healthcare, etc.