Appointment of. Head of Plant Genomics

Appointment of Head of Plant Genomics March 2016

Contents Executive Summary 3 Background and Overview 4 TGAC Structure 6 TGAC s Governance 6 TGAC Scientific Advisory Board 6 Science Strategy 7 Science Faculty 8 Job Description 10 Person Specification 12 Appointment process and how to apply 14 Norwich Research Park 15 2

Executive Summary The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) was established by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) in 2009, as an independent institute dedicated to genomic research, bioinformatics and their applications. The Institute is on the Norwich Research Park (NRP) with the John Innes Centre, the Institute of Food Research, The Sainsbury Laboratory, the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. This provides an excellent environment for the development of innovative research in computational biosciences applied to various fields, including environmental science, food security, energy, diet and health. Norwich is located in East Anglia and is a thriving regional capital. It offers an outstanding quality of life and the benefits of living in a vibrant city. TGAC is currently seeking to appoint a Head of Plant Genomics to be responsible for leading their own research programme, and building the Institute s capability and research strategy in plant genomics including both model and crop species. The post holder will strive to deliver excellence in plant genomic research and provide mentoring and leadership to TGAC s plant science faculty. As well as developing TGAC s relationships with its collaborative science partners on the NRP, nationally and internationally, they will also play a key role in building relationships with industry. Reporting to the Director of Science, the successful candidate will be a member of TGAC s Senior Management Team. Applications are invited from candidates with a PhD in a relevant area (e.g. Plant Biology or Genomics), together with a strong publication record in the field of plant genomics. A knowledge of how plant biology can be enabled through next generation sequencing approaches is essential, along with knowledge of, and direct experience with high-performance, data-intensive computing and large data management. The successful candidate will thrive on working in a rapidly changing technological environment and have the ability and skills to manage and mentor a highly qualified research team. Candidates should be able to demonstrate a track record of success in leading plant genomic research, and evidence of successful leadership and management of a research group. Alongside excellent networking and influencing skills, the post holder will also possess the ability to build effective international collaborative links. We are committed to the principles of the Athena SWAN charter, and value equality and diversity across our workforce. For more information on this role, and to apply online, please visit http://jobs.tgac.ac.uk/. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Applications should consist of a full CV detailing professional qualifications, full employment history, latest remuneration and relevant achievements and should be accompanied by a covering letter describing how candidates meet the criteria in the Person Specification, why the appointment is of interest and what they believe they can bring to the role. Please note, the closing date for applications is midnight on 1 April 2016. The full field of candidates will be reviewed following the closing date and shortlisted candidates will be invited to visit TGAC on 20 April 2016 for interview. 3

Background and Overview The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) is a research institute focused on exploring living systems with computational science and biotechnology to answer ambitious biological questions and generate enabling resources. We have access to cutting-edge, diverse genomics and computational technologies which allow us to tailor our approach to each specific question, coupled with a unique provision to produce and process biological data efficiently and at a large-scale. We host one of the largest computing hardware facilities dedicated to life science research in Europe. Opened on 3rd July 2009, TGAC has already established itself as an expert partner in high throughput sequencing. We have over 115 staff, with plans to grow to 140 in the next five years. Our groups include scientists, technologists, bioinformaticians and operations. TGAC was established by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) in partnership with the East of England Development Agency, Norfolk County Council, South Norfolk Council, Norwich City Council and the Greater Norwich Development Partnership. TGAC has a strategic partnership with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and receives approximately 6 million per annum from BBSRC as core funding. Our research priorities align with those of the BBSRC, to address the grand challenges of maintaining food security, life-long health and well-being, energy security and living with environmental change, through the application of genomic technologies. We have an objective to diversify our research and funding in the next five years. 4

Background and Overview As part of the National Capability in Genomics for BBSRC our state-of-the-art DNA sequencing facility operates multiple complementary technologies for data generation that provide the foundation for analyses furthering our fundamental understanding of genomes and how they function. TGAC s research brings together multidisciplinary expertise in biosciences, bioinformatics, high performance computing and statistics to understand complex biological systems in relation to improving plants, animal and human health. Our advanced genomics and computational platforms support data-intensive research that embraces and confronts modern scientific challenges surrounding data scale and complexity. We develop and apply methods to process, store and interpret data from computational analysis while integrating diverse datasets, to facilitate bioscience research. TGAC also receives specific funding to enable knowledge exchange programmes, which are supported across the institute teams. We aim to be at the forefront of technological advances and are developing and implementing technologies to generate and analyse new types of data. We are developing new ways of allowing multiple academic or industrial users to access data, computational tools and processing capacity for computational bioscience. More information on TGAC can be found following this link to the latest Annual Report: http://www.tgac.ac.uk/uploads/annual%20report/tgac %20annual-report-and-accounts-201415.pdf 5

Background and Overview TGAC Structure TGAC is led by the Director(Prof Neil Hall) and Chief Executive, and supported by a Director of Operations (Sarah Cossey) and a Director of Science (Prof Federica Di Palma), who together form the Executive Team. In addition, a Senior Management Team comprised of the Head of Scientific Computing (Dr Tim Stitt); Head of Business Development and Communications (Mr Stuart Catchpole); Head of Platforms and Pipelines (Dr Daniel Swan), support the Executive. Research within TGAC is undertaken by the Science Faculty, which comprises seven group leaders, four project leaders and currently two fellows with a further four under recruitment. TGAC Governance The Board of Trustees comprises of a Chair, and six Trustees. TGAC also has three member organisations, the BBSRC, the UEA and the Chair of the Board of Trustees, together with two Patrons, the Norfolk Local Authorities, and the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. The Board has two sub committees, the Finance Resources and Audit Committee and the Remuneration Committee. (www.tgac.ac.uk/governance-structure/) TGAC s Scientific Advisory Board TGAC s Scientific Advisory Board (www.tgac.ac.uk/scientificadvisory-board/) is responsible for providing strategic advice to the Director of TGAC and the Board of Trustees on issues relevant to TGAC s Mission and Science programme. The membership is composed of internationally recognised scientists. 6

Science Strategy Decoding Living Systems TGAC s research brings together a wealth of expertise in biosciences, bioinformatics, high performance computing and statistics to understand complex biological systems in plants and animals and their interaction with the environment. Our advanced genomics and computational platforms support data-intensive research that embraces and confronts modern scientific challenges arising from data scale and complexity. We develop and implement new technologies and apply computational methods to process, store and interpret data, to enable bioscience research. 7

Science Faculty The faculty collectively conducts three kinds of research activities: Fundamental research to increase our knowledge base in bioscience Applied research to improve plant, animal and human health Enabling research to empower both academia and industry with new technologies and scalable bioinformatics approaches TGAC has three interdisciplinary programmes under which the faculty, fellows, postdocs and students aggregate to consolidate their expertise and to significantly increase our scientific impact. Scientific Programmes DB Digital Biology We focus on developing computational tools and infrastructure to push the boundaries of data-driven informatics in the life sciences and enable key stages of the data lifecycle: management, integration, and interpretation. Projects include: The development of novel platforms for management of research data and software Implementation of computationally intensive algorithms for data quality assessment and assembly Design of large-scale data visualisation to improve user experience Developing and implementing best practice and training in bioinformatics Jurkowski Davey Elixir Stitt Haerty 8

Organisms & Ecosystems Investigate fundamental principles of plant innate immunity and the interactions between plants and their microbial pathogens We use multidisciplinary approaches to understand genomes, and how they regulate and control the biological complexities of plant and animal functions. Developing and implementing multiscale integrative and network approaches to interpret diverse datasets, to identify pathways, to infer interactions between genes, proteins, lipids and metabolites and to understand genotype to phenotype relationships and system heterogeneity Developing and implementing effective computational methodologies for the assembly and annotation of animal and large complex plant genomes O&E Projects include: Understanding genetic diversity and its impact on traits of agronomic interest and evolution of vertebrate species Developing genomic tools and resources to enable plant breeders, research communities and genebanks Di Palma Clark Swarbreck Krasileva Ayling Haerty Korcsmáros (Fellow) Saunders (Fellow) EB Swan Engineering Biology In this emerging programme our research includes the development of software engineering and machine learning approaches in support of projects in synthetic biology and high-throughput phenotyping. Di Palma Stitt Haerty Clark Macaulay To read TGAC s Annual Report in full, please visit: http://www.tgac.ac.uk/uploads/annual%20report/tgac%20annual-report-and-accounts-201415.pdf 9

Appointment of Head of Plant Genomics Job Description The Head of Plant Genomics is responsible for building the Institute s capability and research strategy in plant genomics including both model and crop species. TGAC has an outstanding infrastructure for genomic analysis and is located at the heart of Norwich Research Park (NRP) alongside the Sainsbury Laboratory and the John Innes Centre. The post-holder will strive to deliver excellence in plant genomic research and provide mentoring and leadership to TGAC s plant science faculty, as well as developing TGACs relationships with external stakeholders including industry. The post-holder will be a member of TGAC s Senior Management Team with responsibilities to deliver the Institute s strategic goals. As well as building their own research programme, the postholder will form partnerships with researchers at the other institutes on the NRP and beyond in order to build collaborative scientific projects in plant genomics. The Head of Plant Genomics at TGAC will: Lead on the development of a plant genomic research strategy for TGAC. Provide mentoring and advice for faculty working in the area of plant genomics. Develop and lead a world-class research group in the area of plant genomics. Identify funding opportunities, and attract funding for new research projects. Work with TGAC staff in the platforms group to ensure that TGAC is well placed nationally to deliver national capability in the area of plant genomics. Build partnerships in plant genomics within the NRP, across the UK and internationally. Contribute to the delivery of the Institute s strategic goals (as a senior member of TGAC teams). 10

Appointment of Head of Plant Genomics Key Relationships Internal: Reporting to the Director of Science, the Head of Plant Genomics will be a member of the Institute s Senior Management Team. They will need to ensure they maintain key relationships with TGAC s Executive (Institute Director, Director of Science and Director of Operations), the other members of the Senior Management Team and Faculty Leaders, in order to deliver their research programmes. Managing: Faculty group leaders in plant science with Organisms and Ecosystems. External: JIC, Sainsbury Lab, IFR, UEA, and other academic institutions and organisations as appropriate. Other: TGAC s Scientific Advisory Board, main funder BBSRC and the National Bioscience Institutes. Main Activities and Responsibilities: To work with the Institute Director, Directors of Science and Operations, the Group Leaders and other members of the Senior Management Team to implement the Institute s scientific strategy. To establish and build a research group in the area of plant genomics. To generate high quality and high impact publications in the area of plant genomics. To mentor junior faculty and to aid them in growing their own research programme. To work with Heads of Platform and Pipeline, Technology Development and Scientific Computing to drive advances and innovation around new applications of genomic analysis and HPC to plant research. To communicate the work of TGAC in oral and written presentations and to publish novel findings and network widely with academic and industrial groups on the NRP, throughout the UK and abroad, and with biological scientists applying genomics technologies to novel research questions. Unique Selling Points of the Job: TGAC is a UK hub for innovative bioinformatics and genomics research and application to a broad spectrum of bioscience. The Institute needs a flexible approach to the generation, maintenance and analysis of data from biological systems that will underpin the establishment of novel tools and resources for computational bioscience. To lead the development of a plant genomics research strategy, working closely with the Director of Science to ensure this aligns with the wider Institute strategy. 11

Person Specification Education & qualifications A PhD in a relevant area, e.g. plant biology or genomics. Strong publication record in the field of plant genomics. Management and leadership Ability to lead a highly qualified research team. Ability to manage research budgets. The ability to lead and mentor early career scientific leaders. Evidence of leadership at a national level (e.g. research council roles). Specialist knowledge & skills Knowledge of data analysis pipelines for DNA sequencing methods and molecular biology. A knowledge of how plant biology can be enabled through next generation sequencing approaches. A knowledge of plant genomics and genetics of both model and crop plant species. Knowledge of, and direct experience with, highperformance, data-intensive computing and large data management. Relevant experience A track-record of success in leading plant genomic research. Experience in leading large international research projects. Evidence of successful leadership and management of a research group. Experience of working in a rapidly changing technological environment. Knowledge of research and funding within the UK science base. A track-record of writing successful grant applications Evidence of successful supervision of PhD Students. 12

Person Specification Technical excellence through continuous improvement and innovation Experience of discovering new ways of working and solutions in their field through personal initiative. Application and development of their own and others specialist technical knowledge. Demonstration of taking the lead in their area of expertise. Demonstration of realistic judgement based on evidence. Proactive problem solver. Interpersonal and communication skills, including collaborations Excellent communicator and ability to listen to others. Demonstrable presentational skills. To be able to represent TGAC to a high standard externally with a range of different stakeholders within academia, industry, and the broader scientific community. Open minded, positive, and enthusiastic, champion of TGAC s reputation and the wider team. Excellent negotiation skills. Evidence of networking and influencing skills and the ability to build effective international collaborative links. Ability to delegate. Reliability under pressure acting as part of a Senior Management Team. Ability to work collaboratively across different disciplines in a cohesive manner. Additional requirements Capacity to travel occasionally within UK or overseas, with long hours and occasional overnight stays. Promotes equality and values diversity. 13

Appointment process and how to apply We are committed to the principles of the Athena SWAN charter, and value equality and diversity across our workforce. To apply online, please visit http://jobs.tgac.ac.uk/. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Applications should consist of a full CV detailing professional qualifications, full employment history, latest remuneration and relevant achievements and should be accompanied by a covering letter describing how candidates meet the criteria in the Person Specification, why the appointment is of interest and what they believe they can bring to the role. Please note, the closing date for applications is midnight on 1 April 2016. The full field of candidates will be reviewed following the closing date and shortlisted candidates will be invited to visit TGAC on 20 April 2016 for interview. If you would like to discuss this opportunity with the Director of Science, Professor Federica Di Palma, please contact her on federica.di-palma@tgac.ac.uk E CU E C HA R T E R GEND R 14

Norwich Research Park TGAC is located on the Norwich Research Park (NRP) on the south-western outskirts of Norwich, together with its partners: the John Innes Centre, the Institute of Food Research, The Sainsbury Laboratory, the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. The park has an excellent reputation for research in plant and microbial sciences, interdisciplinary environmental science and food, diet and health, to which TGAC contributes strengths in genomics and bioinformatics. These organisations have a shared high level strategy (the Norwich Science Vision) which is being realised through UEA, BBSRC, BIS and EU funding. There is an agreement to share infrastructure and facilities and maximise scientific interactions. More information about the NRP can be found at: www.norwichresearchpark.com/home.aspx The NRP hosts more highly cited scientists than any UK city other than Cambridge, Oxford and London. 15