Summary
The Comparative Genomics & Metagenomics Lab (CGMLab) at the Centre for Plant Biotechnology and Genomics (CBGP, Madrid) is seeking a postdoctoral researcher for the EU-funded ORIGIN project. The project focuses on developing an AI-driven, digitally integrated bioproduction platform to sustainably source natural molecules via precision fermentation.
Postdoc position – Metagenomic mining & Bioprospecting of novel enzymes (CGMLab) Spain
Designation
Postdoctoral Researcher
Key Details
| Detail | Description |
| Duration | 3.5–4 years (depending on start date) |
| Salary | ≈ €41,000 gross / year |
| Work Type | Hybrid (partial remote) |
| Start Date | Flexible |
Research Area
Metagenomic mining, Comparative Genomics, AI-Assisted Digital Bioprospecting, and Biosynthetic Gene Cluster (BGC) Mining.
Location
CBGP (UPM-INIA/CSIC), Madrid, Spain (On-site presence required; partial remote work is possible).
Eligibility / Qualification
Required:
- Experience in mining and functional annotation of metagenomic data.
- Fluency in HPC and Linux environments, as well as genomic data analysis and processing pipelines.
Valued:
- Basic knowledge of and interest in biochemistry, structural biology, and comparative genomics.
- Knowledge of microbial ecology and genomics.
Job Description
The successful candidate will lead efforts in exploring the “unknown microbial biosphere” to discover novel enzymes and BGCs. Key responsibilities include:
- Metagenomic mining: Discovering enzymatic functions and pathways for producing industrially-relevant biocompounds.
- Large-scale genomic mining: Searching across massive metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) databases using homology-based searches (DIAMOND, MMseqs, HMM profiles).
- Structural bioprospecting: Utilizing protein language models (ProstT5, ESM) and AlphaFold to find distant structural/functional homologues.
- Pathway & BGC reconstruction: Performing high-resolution functional annotation and context-aware genomic analysis to recover operons and biosynthetic pathways.
- Attending European project meetings, writing reports and scientific articles, and supervising related work.
How to Apply
To apply, submit your CV, a short letter of interest, up to three references, relevant links, and answer the application questions via the application portal.
Last Date to Apply
1 September 2026 (or until filled).
