Epigenetics Chemical Probes

Informatician

Salary scale for University Staff Grade 7: (28,839 - 35,469) per annum 

The SGC in Oxford provides extensive infrastructure and experience for 
protein production, small molecule screening, and structure determination 
(structures of 300 novels human proteins have been deposited and more than 
50 primary research papers published since 2004).  The SGC is co-located 
with one of the largest clinical oncology departments in the UK, allowing 
collaborations which have already led to successful clinical research 
programs.

Together with the Oxford University Chemistry and Biochemistry departments,
the SGC has been jointly awarded a Wellcome Trust strategic grant to build
on pioneering structural biology work on proteins involved in epigenetic 
signalling. The grant will allow Oxford to participate in a tripartite 
collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline and the NIH Chemical Genomics Centre in
Washington. The collaboration will produce selective chemical probes for 
key enzymes and recognition domains involved in histone regulation of 
transcription.

This position will play a key role in ensuring that there is excellent data
sharing between the various participants sites associated with the 
Wellcome Trust Epigenetics project. It will also develop and maintain a 
cutting-edge Cheminformatics platform of relevant resources both in terms 
of software and scientific information which will be actively used by the 
project. Finally, this position will be responsible for the generation, 
release and deposition of Probe Data Sheets to the public and PubChem.

Within the SGC Research Informatics group we are looking for an 
Informatician with an essential criteria of a PhD education and at least 
2 years experience in working with large sets of diverse data types and 
in particular, small molecule virtual libraries and demonstrable expertise
in structure-based drug design approaches; Expertise in the appropriate 
use of diverse molecular modelling tools for molecular and comparative 
modelling, design and maintenance of non-proprietary chemical databases; 
Ability to develop innovative solutions for the capture, mining and 
visualisation of diverse data types relating to DNA, protein, assays, 
protein structure and small molecules.  

Also essential is experience in presenting diverse data types in an 
intuitive format using a variety of media; Working experience of developing
and maintaining schema in relational databases such as MySQL or Oracle; 
Strong programming skills in two or more of the following: C, C++, Perl, 
Python, UNIX shell scripting; Ability to make informed independent 
decisions and rational sound judgements and to be able to communicate and 
support these effectively with strong interpersonal, verbal and written 
communication and organisational skills

This position is for 22 months in the first instance.

An application form and a job description are available from the web link:
http://www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/ndmorcrb/vacancies or from the Personnel Officer on
Tel: 01865 617604 or Email: orcrb.personnel],[ndm.ox.ac.uk.   
Please quote the reference H9-10-001-SGC.   
The closing date for applications is Friday, 12th February 2010.