ETH Zürich is offering two fully funded PhD positions in Statistical Genomics and Computational Genomics, in collaboration with the University of Liège, Belgium. The successful candidates will join the Animal Genomics group at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences at ETH Zurich or the Quantitative Genetics & Genomics group led by Dr. Tom Druet at the University of Liège. The research focuses on the PangenomiX project, which investigates the impacts of sex chromosomal structural variants on reproduction- and meiosis-related traits in cattle using advanced pangenome assemblies, imputation, and association methods.

The project is supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Fonds de la recherche scientifique (F.R.S.-FNRS) as a Weave-project. The aim is to generate near-complete cattle pangenomes, develop statistical methods for imputation and association testing, and characterize structural variant diversity on sex chromosomes. The research will leverage large-scale long and short read sequencing data (PacBio HiFi and ONT) from two cattle populations, with a focus on understanding how structural variants influence male fertility and recombination rates.

One PhD student will focus on building pangenomes from long read sequencing data, supervised by Prof. Hubert Pausch at ETH Zurich. The other will develop imputation and association testing approaches for structural variants, supervised by Dr. Tom Druet at the University of Liège. Both positions require close collaboration and research exchanges between the groups.

Applicants should have a strong interest in statistical genomics, computational biology, computational genomics, or animal genomics. Required qualifications include a MSc degree in genetics, genomics, computational biology, bioinformatics, animal sciences, or related fields, experience with programming languages (Python, R), and basic working knowledge of high-performance computing clusters. Prior experience with genomic data analysis and strong communication skills are desirable. Good English proficiency is necessary for scientific writing and conference participation.

The positions offer integration into a young, dynamic, and international research team with a proven track record in animal genomics. The project provides flexibility to pursue individual research ideas within the scope of the overall project, collaboration with national and international partners, and competitive salary conditions. The anticipated start date is September 1st, 2026, but an earlier start is possible as some data have already been collected. Both positions are fixed-term for four years.

ETH Zurich values diversity, equality of opportunity, and sustainability, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all staff and students. Applications must be submitted online via the ETH Zurich application portal. Required documents include a cover/motivation letter, CV, copies of Bachelor and Master degrees, and contact information for two references. Evaluation of applications will begin April 7th, 2026 and continue until suitable candidates are identified. For further information, contact Prof. Hubert Pausch ([email protected]) or Dr. Tom Druet ([email protected]). More details about the research groups can be found on their respective academic pages.