JREES@vax.oxford.ac.uk (01/09/91)
Advertisement UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD COMPUTER OFFICER MOLECULAR BIOLOGY Applications are invited for a new post, for one year in the first instance, to maintain, support and expand software for research in molecular biology (DNA and protein sequence analysis) for users throughout the University of Oxford. The appointment will be as a member of the Computing Service, which is responsible for the management of the post and the provision of the major technical facilities, but the person appointed will be accommodated in the Department of Biochemistry. Applicants should be graduates and ideally have previous experience with the use of relevant software in a molecular biology research environment. Significant experience with relevant computing techniques is necessary. Knowledge of VAX/VMS, Unix and programming in Fortran and C would be advantageous. Further details and application forms can be obtained from Judith Thompson, Oxford University Computing Service, 13 Banbury Road, Oxford, OX2 6NN (Tel. 0865 273230, e-mail JUDITH@UK.AC.OXFORD.VAX). The closing date for submission of application forms is 1 February 1991. Further details: Oxford University Computing Service (OUCS) provides facilities and support services for all departments of the University. The principal large systems provided at Oxford are (i) a VAX cluster, running under VAX/VMS, which at present consists of two VAX 8800s, two VAX 8700s and one VAX 8650, and (ii) a Convex C1-XP2 minisupercomputer, running under Unix, with two C1-XP vector processors. Individual departments differ in their local computing facilities, including UNIX based systems such as SUN workstations, and PCs and Macintoshes, which are used both for running local software and as front-ends to the central VAX cluster. In general OUCS provides support for software of general utility across many disciplines, whereas support for subject-specific software is the responsibility of the department or departments concerned. A new post has been created, for one year in the first instance, for the support of software which is heavily used by research workers in molecular biology, principally programs for the analysis of nucleic acid and protein sequences. This area cuts across the central/departmental division of responsibility noted above: on the one hand it is strongly discipline-orientated, but on the other hand these computing techniques are now used heavily by a community of over 200 users in some 15 scientific and medical departments. For this reason the person appointed will be formally employed by OUCS, and will have full access to the Computing Service facilities as a member of staff rather than a user. He/she will however be accommodated in the Department of Biochemistry, South Parks Road, which will provide the normal departmental support. The day-to-day contacts will thus be largely with the biological research community, and the appointee will be responsible to a committee representing the research and computing departments. The duties of the post will be to maintain the existing software suite; to update the various databases as new issues become available; to mount and support such new software as may be required by the user community; to manage access by the user community to the supported software and databases both locally and at remote sites; to provide user support in the form of advisory services, documentation and training as necessary. This position will consolidate preexisting software and database arrangements and is anticipated that the facilities will develop as part of a larger operation of networked, X-windows based, distributed computing, interfacing a variety of local and central processing capabilities across the University. Applicants should be graduates and ideally will have previous experience in a molecular biology research environment. In addition significant experience with the relevant computing techniques is necessary. Skills in VAX/VMS, Fortran and C programming and experience of database management would be advantageous, while a knowledge of Unix, PC, Macintosh systems and of networking will be required in the longer term. The appointment will be made within the Research Support IA scale (currently #11,399-#18,165 p.a.) according to qualifications and experience. The closing date for receipt of applications is 1 February 1991. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Internet:: Please direct inquires relating to the above to Judith@Vax.Oxford.AC.UK (if you have problems try: Judith@Vax.Oxford.ac.Uk%nsfnet-relay.ac.uk) Please note snail mail and phone given above. Many thanks, Jasper Rees.