We seek a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to join the Genetic Epidemiology group in the Department of Congenital Disorders at Statens Serum Institut (SSI). The successful candidate will work on developing innovative computational methods to better understand the biology of pregnancy by modelling longitudinal multi-omics data within the framework of the SMARTBiomed Pioneer Center, becoming part of its interdisciplinary community of postdoctoral fellows and affiliated researchers.

The project
Pregnancy is characterized by tightly regulated physiological changes essential for normal fetal development. The Biological Signals in Pregnancy study is a unique cohort with weekly maternal blood samples throughout pregnancy coupled with rich multi-omics data.

The overall aim of this postdoctoral project is to better understand the biological processes of pregnancy by developing new deep-learning tools to model longitudinal features of data collected during pregnancy and integrate multiple different types of omics data.

The successful candidate will be responsible for driving the project, developing and implementing methods, analyzing the data, authoring and co-authoring manuscripts for high-impact scientific journals, and presenting the work at conferences and collaborative meetings. Primary supervision will be provided by Dr. Bjarke Feenstra, leader of the Genetic Epidemiology group at SSI in close collaboration with Professor Simon Rasmussen at the Center for Basic Metabolic Research, University of Copenhagen, who will co-lead the methodological development.

Specific activities include:

• Developing supervised deep-learning models that integrate multi-omics data (cell-free RNA, metabolomics, RNA-seq) from maternal blood collected on a weekly basis (average 25 sampling times) during pregnancy to predict gestational age, time-to-delivery, and birth weight.
• Developing unsupervised deep-learning methods (e.g., multi-omics variational autoencoders) that integrate longitudinal omics data from maternal blood during pregnancy with other data modalities including, e.g., register data on birth outcomes.
• Making the tools developed to implement model architectures available to the wider research community through open GitHub repositories.
• Engaging in active collaboration with resaerchers at other institutions, like Aarhus University and the University of Oxford, facilitated by the SMARTBiomed Pioneer Center.

Alongside the specific project, the postdoctoral researcher will have the opportunity to work with other data collections and to develop new research ideas. The position also involves identifying sources of funding and writing grant applications.

Qualifications
We expect you to be an independent, enthusiastic, and ambitious scientist with the following qualifications:

• A PhD in computational biology, bioinformatics, statistical genomics, or a related field.
• Strong skills in data science, with experience analysing different types of complex or high-dimensional omics data.
• Proficiency in Python, R, or related languages, and familiarity with Linux/Unix environments.
• Experience with deep-learning/machine-learning methods, longitudinal or time-series modeling, or multi-omics integration.
• Good communication skills in English.
• Flexibility, open-mindedness, and a collaborative approach to research.
• A solid scientific track record with publications in high-quality, peer-reviewed international journals.

In return, we offer excellent opportunities to develop your scientific career in a strong, supportive research environment with access to exceptional Danish data resources and membership in the SMARTBiomed Pioneer Center, with regular scientific meetings, networking events, and interactions with researchers across multiple institutions. We emphasize teamwork and a positive working environment.

Conditions of employment
The successful applicant will be hired for a 2-year period, with a preferred start date of 1 April 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. Employment will follow the collective bargaining agreement between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Federation of Professional Associations, as well as the job structure for scientific staff at Danish sector research institutions.

About the Department of Congenital Disorders
Our department is responsible for running and developing the Danish newborn screening program with large laboratory facilities and involvement of many different experts. We conduct interdisciplinary research into the causes, mechanisms, and novel biomarkers of congenital and developmental disorders. Through linkage of national health registers with millions of biospecimens in the Danish National Biobank, we have unparalleled opportunities for pioneering biomedical research carried out at the highest scientific level. Our researchers have backgrounds in genetics, bioinformatics, statistics, molecular biology, omics epidemiology, and medicine, and we value collaboration, respect, and scientific rigor.

Further information
For additional details, please contact: Group Leader, Senior Research Scientist Bjarke Feenstra at (+45) 3268 3852

Application
Click “Apply” to submit your application. Please include:

- Your application must include a cover letter describing your motivation,
- CV (including education and experience),
- List of publications in peer-reviewed journals,
- Transcript of university examinations (in English or Danish),
- Names and contact details for two job references.

An expert committee will assess the applicant’s research qualifications.

In order to reduce unconscious bias in the recruitment process, we kindly ask you not to include a photo in your CV.

Statens Serum Institut have non-smoking working hours and a smoke- free campus. We encourage everyone who are interested to apply for the position – regardless of age, gender, religion, disabilities or ethnicity.