CNAG – The Institute

The Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG) Consortium carries out large-scale projects in DNA/RNA analysis for the improvement of quality of life in collaboration with the Spanish, European and International Research Community. CNAG is one of the largest Genome Sequencing Centers in Europe, equipped with state-of-the-art single-cell and spatial genomics technologies and an extensive informatics infrastructure. The operation is certified ISO 9001 and accredited ISO 17025, delivering standardized, high-quality data for research and clinics. The CNAG has over 125 members, structured in different units such Bioinformatics, Sequencing, Research and Corporate Management, and participates in major International Genome Initiatives and EU-funded projects.

CNAG – The Spatial Genomics Team

The Spatial Genomics Team at CNAG is at the forefront of understanding how molecular and cellular processes are organised within tissues, with the aim of accelerating biomedical discoveries and advancing precision medicine.

The mission is to establish Spatial Transcriptomics and other Spatial Tissue Profiling techniques as standard tools for next-generation pathology, harnessing the prognostic value of tissue resections and biopsies. The team has established and applies a range of state-of-the-art spatial omics technologies for the analyses of tissues, including Bruker Spatial CosMx, 10X Xenium/Visium, BGI Stereo-seq and dissociated single-cell samples (STAMP). We also develop and apply computational workflows for the analysis and integration of spatially resolved single-cell data with other molecular, imaging and biological modalities.

Our international and multidisciplinary team combines expertise in single-cell, computational and tissue biology. We work at the interface between technology development and biomedical research and collaborate closely with academic, clinical and industry partners on the generation of human cell atlases, immuno-oncology and immune-mediated disease research programs.

Whom would we like to hire?

We are looking for a motivated Research Trainee to join the Spatial Genomics Team for a six-month position. The successful candidate will contribute to an industry collaborative project involving the primary analyses and integration of complex multimodal spatial datasets with clinically well-annotated cohorts.

We encourage and prioritize applications from under-represented minority groups.

The ideal candidate should have:

·A Master's degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or Data Science.

·Previous experience or strong knowledge in the analysis of single-cell and spatial omics datasets.

·Previous experience or training in the integration and analysis of multimodal data.

·Programming skills in Python and/or R and familiarity with computational data analysis workflows.

·Experience in data integration, dimensionality reduction, clustering, cell-type annotation and other computational approaches for the analysis of single-cell data.

·An interest in spatial biology and the analysis of tissue organisation, cellular states and cell–cell interactions.

·Familiarity with computational methods for the integration of molecular, spatial, imaging and/or phenotypic datasets would be highly valued.

·Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

·Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary and diverse team.

·Strong commitment to high-quality and reproducible research.

·Good organisational and time-management skills.

·Confident communication skills in English.

The Role

The candidate will be integrated in the Spatial Genomics Team, a highly collaborative, international, multidisciplinary and diverse environment composed of experts in single-cell and spatial data generation, analysis, visualisation, interpretation and biomedical research.

The position will provide an excellent opportunity to gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge spatial multiomics data analysis in an industry translational project. The work will involve the quality assessment, primary analysis and integration of complex datasets combining spatially resolved molecular information (RNA, protein) with complementary clinical and histopathological data.

The main responsibilities of this role are:

• Quality assessment of spatial, single-cell multimodal datasets.
• Support the integration of such multimodal datasets.
• Apply and evaluate computational methods for dimensionality reduction, clustering and cell-type characterisation.
• Contribute to the analysis of spatial tissue organisation.
• Support the development, optimisation and implementation of reproducible computational workflows and analysis pipelines.
• Work closely with computational and experimental scientists within the Spatial Genomics Team and with industry and clinical collaborators involved in the project.
• Participate in scientific discussions, data interpretation and communication of project results.
• Maintain clear documentation and contribute to high-quality, reproducible and well-organised data analysis.

The Offer

•      Position: We offer a full-time research training position, with the possibility of conversion to a predoctoral contract subject to the candidate fulfilling the applicable eligibility criteria.

•      Contract duration: 6 months (or 12 months if needed) with the possibility of extension.

•      Estimated annual gross salary: Salary is commensurate with qualifications and consistent with CNAG’s pay scales.

•      Target start date: immediately.

•      Location: CNAG, Barcelona (possibility of working remotely 2 days / week)

We provide a highly stimulating environment with access to state-of-the-art infrastructures and technologies, as well as a unique opportunity to gain experience in spatial genomics, single-cell analysis and multimodal computational biology.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic research environment at the interface between academia and industry and will have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge datasets and computational approaches relevant to translational and preclinical research.

CNAG offers and promotes a diverse and inclusive environment and welcomes applicants regardless of age, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

We are committed to reconciling work and family life for our employees and offer flexible working conditions in accordance with CNAG policies.

Application Procedure

All applications must be addressed to People Management - people@cnag.eu

Email subject: 2026-12 CNAG: Research Trainee in Spatial Genomics

Deadline: Please submit your application by 21/September/2026

Selection Process

The pre-selection process will be based on qualifications and expertise reflected on the candidates CVs.

Shorlisted candidates will be called for an interview.

See all our job openings in the “Jobs” section of the CNAG website: https://www.cnag.eu/jobs