Laboratoire Européen de Biologie Moléculaire
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
Europäisches Laboratorium für Molekularbiologie

We are seeking an annotator to work on two public enzyme databases developed within the Thornton research group at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) located on the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus near Cambridge in the UK. The MACIE database and the Catalytic Site Atlas (CSA) databases contain information relating to the chemical mechanism of each enzyme and the active site description.

The database annotator will use standard and in house software tools to provide the annotation. The databases are used as the source of information about enzymes within the Thornton research group, whose focus is to study how enzymes work at the molecular level and how they evolve, and are also accessed regularly by scientists worldwide. Although the annotator will not perform research, s/he will work closely with researchers and will be part of the research group, including meetings and discussions.

The annotator will help to extend the existing coverage of enzyme active sites and reaction mechanisms on the databases. The main responsibilities will be:

• to add the new literature based entries into both MACIE (enzyme mechanism and active site residue function) and the CSA (active site residues);
• to ensure that previously annotated entries are up-to-date and accurate.
• to maintain integrity between the databases.
• to check literature for new information and add or amend entries as appropriate.
• to interact with experimental biochemists to capture mechanism and enter them into the database.

The post holdera will report to Drs Nicholas Furnham (for CSA work) and Gemma Holliday (for MACIE) and ultimately to Prof. Janet Thornton as the group leader.

The EBI, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), is a world-leading bioinformatics centre providing biological data to the scientific community, with expertise in data storage, analysis and representation.

For further information please visit www.ebi.ac.uk, www.ebi.ac.uk/thornton-srv/databases/MACIE, www.ebi.ac.uk/thornton-srv/databases/CSA

The successful candidate will have a degree in chemistry, biological chemistry or biochemistry with a good working knowledge of the chemistry of enzymes. PhD candidates might also be considered. No previous experience of annotation is required.

The job would be suitable for someone who enjoys enzyme chemistry and wishes to learn more about how they work at the molecular level. The data will be managed in the computer, so candidates must have basic computing skills such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint, email etc. Although the tasks of the post will not require programming skills, these may prove useful.

The successful applicant must be able to work as part of a dynamic team and have excellent English language, communication and interpersonal skills.

The post will be for 12 months and can be taken up either full time or part-time.

Please apply on line through www.embl.org/jobs

EMBL is an inclusive, equal opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation.

Note that special visa requirements apply to employees from non EU countries working at EMBL-EBI in the UK. The period of work does not qualify for the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme