Research Associate - Geneticist in EGENES
| Posting date: | 17 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £37,504 to £43,426 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 March 2026 |
| Location: | EH9 3JG |
| Remote working: | On-site only |
| Company: | SRUC |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | REQ0469-62309 |
Summary
About the team:
Edinburgh Genetic Evaluation Services (EGENES) is a discreet unit of 6 geneticists and programmers employed by SRUC and 8 geneticist, programmers and data technicians employed by AHDB that provides UK national genetic and genomic evaluations for farmed livestock on behalf of AHDB, individual breed societies and other commercial customers. It is tightly integrated with the Animal Breeding and Genomics Team to ensure that research results are rapidly implemented by farmers and breeding companies and good interaction between research and application. Researchers also benefit from professional data handling expertise available in EGENES. The entire 3 teams constitute around 22.
About the opportunity:
This is an opportunity to take a leading role in a team leading development of genetic and genomic evaluations in the UK. You will work closely with the livestock industry to identify tools and technologies to extract phenotypes from new sources of data such as milk mid infrared (MIR) spectral data, abattoir data and digital images. The successful candidate will work within an integrated group of 20 programmers and geneticists, 6 of which work within EGENES so application of new developments has a very short route to application. Genomic evaluations are widely adopted by the dairy sector, and developments are ongoing to implement improved methods to evaluate the ever increasing pool of data within, and across breeds (e.g. single-step across breeds gBLUP). The convergence of the beef and dairy industry in the UK is creating new and exciting avenues to utilise datasets together. Our work is varied and interesting, ranging from improving the extraction of existing phenotypes to researching new economically and societally important phenotypes such as feed efficiency and methane emissions predicted from multiple data sources. EGENES is an active member of Interbull and Interbeef. Every day is different in Animal Breeding and Genomics.
We are seeking a geneticist based in Edinburgh who can play a major role in the Animal Breeding and Genomics Team working closely with the other SRUC geneticists (Professor Raph Mrode, Dr Samir Id Lahoucine, Professor Mike Coffey) to develop methodologies to evaluate animals better, quicker, more accurately and for a wider range of traits. The successful applicant will also work very closely with other members of the EGENES team employed by AHDB and managed by Marco Winters. The connection between AHDB, EGENES and the Animal Breeding and Genomics Team is seamless.
A less experienced geneticist but with the right approach and attitude may be considered, as may be a more flexible working location. It is expected that the candidate will also undertake necessary research to underpin practical application of developments in genetic evaluation methodologies including imputation strategies with very large datasets. We work with dairy and beef cattle, sheep, alpacas and have worked with salmon, dairy goats and pigs. We have over 1m genotypes and hundreds of millions of animal records in our evaluations currently.
Minimum qualifications and experience:
The successful candidate will hold a post‑doctorate qualification in quantitative genetics with strong grounding in genomic methodologies. They will bring proven expertise in genetic and genomic evaluation, including estimating genetic parameters for quantitative traits, and possess excellent numerical and statistical capability. Strong experience in handling large datasets, along with programming skills and the ability to quickly learn new languages, is essential. The role also requires strong communication skills, effective analytical and problem‑solving abilities, exceptional teamwork, and a high level of attention to detail. Desirable attributes include experience with SQL Server, FORTRAN, Python, and scripting, as well as familiarity with Docker, Windows and Linux operating systems, and project management.
Further details of the requirements of the role can be found in the Job Particulars document which you must read prior to applying.
Admin ref: ACF/AVS/018/26
Eligibility for Sponsorship:
For the purposes of sponsorship, this role may be eligible for sponsorship for eligible candidates who meet the Home Office requirements for a reduced Skilled Worker salary threshold (e.g., relevant qualifications, new entrants, or other applicable criteria). Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements under the Skilled Worker route.
Salary and benefits?
- Generous annual leave
- Enhanced pension contributions to contributory pension scheme
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted RAC Membership
- Generous family leave
- We encourage Continuing Professional Development with a tailored investment in an individuals' learning and development
How to Apply:
Please complete an online application form by pressing “apply”.
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