Head, Advanced Genomics Technologies Core Facility (Ref. CF/26/01)

IRB Barcelona invites applications for the position of Head, Advanced Genomics Technologies Core Facility. The successful candidate will report to the Director, Technology Strategy and Core Facilities and will lead the strategic, scientific and operational development of the platform.

The Advanced Genomics Technologies Core Facility is a centralized, high-quality support platform providing state-of-the-art genomics, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics services to IRB Barcelona researchers and external collaborators from academic, clinical and industrial sectors. The Facility supports experimental design, execution, quality control and integration with downstream bioinformatics and biostatistics analyses.

The Head of the Facility will play a key role in driving innovation in single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, fostering cross-facility collaboration (histopathology, microscopy, bioinformatics, and proteomics), and ensuring the delivery of robust, reproducible and cutting-edge genomics solutions aligned with IRB Barcelona's scientific strategy.

This position offers a unique opportunity to lead a technologically advanced core facility at the interface of genomics, histology, imaging and data science within an internationally recognized research environment.

Key responsibilities

• Provide scientific, technical and strategic leadership of the Advanced Genomics Technologies Core Facility, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities.
• Drive the implementation, optimization and adoption of advanced genomics, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics technologies.
• Advise on experimental design, sample preparation, quality control and data interpretation for transcriptomics, spatial omics and complementary functional genomics approaches.
• Ensure robust integration with bioinformatics and biostatistics, maintaining high standards of data quality, reproducibility and documentation.
• Lead, mentor and manage the Facility team, overseeing operations, service delivery, budgeting and supplier relationships.
• Foster strong transversal collaborations across IRB Barcelona Core Facilities and act as the main scientific point of contact for users and partners.
• Contribute to training users and staff in advanced genomics, single-cell and spatial transcriptomics technologies.
• Establish and maintain collaborations with local, national, and European research institutes, biotech, and pharma companies.
• Foster an innovative environment by continuosly exploring and adopting novel genomics and spatial analytical methods.
• Promote the visibility and services of the Core Facility externally.

Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology or a related discipline.

• Demonstrated hands-on experience in single-cell and spatial transcriptomics (essential).
• Proven expertise with experimental genomics workflows and quality control.
• Experience working closely with bioinformaticians and bio-statisticians.
• Prior experience in team coordination, technical service management or research leadership.
• Fluency in English, both spoken and written.
• Strong organizational, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Service-oriented mindset with a strong commitment to collaboration and scientific excellence.

You might also have

• PhD in Genomics, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences or a related field.
• Previous experience leading or co-leading a core facility or advanced technology platform.
• Experience with Xenium or similar spatial transcriptomics technologies.
• Familiarity with long-read sequencing technologies (e.g. Nanopore).
• Solid understanding of applied histology, tissue handling and morphology preservation.
• Basic programming or data analysis skills to support automation and workflow optimization.
• Knowledge of Spanish and/or Catalan.