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Postdoctoral Research Assistant (m/f/d)
(Salary grade E13 TV-L, 100 %)

The Molecular Cell Biology Division in the Department of Biology/Chemistry at the University of Osnabrück is seeking to appoint a Postdoctoral Research Assistant in the field of synthetic chemistry/chemical biology. The position is available immediately until December 31, 2026 with the possibility of extension.
 
The position is embedded in the Z1 project of the SFB 1557, a research consortium funded by the DFG that focuses on the functional plasticity of cellular membrane networks.

Lipids are highly versatile biomolecules that make unique contributions to the plasticity of cellular membranes. Defining the biological roles and subcellular distributions of lipids requires unique experimental approaches, including methods to specifically alter organelle-specific lipidomes, map protein-lipid interactions and visualize lipid trafficking inside cells. To tackle these challenges, you will use your expertise in organic chemistry to create a versatile toolbox of lipid analogs carrying crosslinkable, photoswitchable and/or photo-labile protective groups. These analogs will be designed, synthesized and applied in close collaboration with members of the SFB to unravel the working mechanism of tumor suppressor lipids, capture novel lipid effector proteins, and visualize intracellular lipid flows during repair of damaged organelles or cells.

Your Duties:

• Development of a versatile toolbox of lipid analogs to unravel cellular pathways of lipid trafficking and signaling
• Expand the technical capabilities of a collaborative research consortium to investigate lipid function

Requirements:

• Completed master’s degree (M.Sc.)
• PhD degree in synthetic organic chemistry or chemical biology
• Broad expertise in organic and synthetic chemistry; practical experience in photo-chemistry is a plus
• Strong scientific rigor and keen motivation for interdisciplinary projects
• Strong organizational and time-management skills
• Strong communication skills and ability to manage productive collaborations within a multidisciplinary research consortium
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken

We offer: 

• Cutting-edge research project with ample opportunities for developing innovative experimental approaches at the interface of chemical and lipid cell biology
• Collegial cooperation within a highly interdisciplinary and international research team working on fundamental and disease-relevant aspects of lipid cell biology
• State-of-the-art instrumental infrastructure in a cooperative working environment (CellNanOS; https://www.cellnanos.uni-osnabrueck.de/en)
• Participation in the Collaborative Research Center SFB 1557 ”Functional plasticity of cellular membrane networks” and its support programs (https://www.biologie-cms.uni-osnabrueck.de/forschung/forschungsverbuende/sfb_1557)

The position is available on a full-time or part-time basis.

Osnabrück University is a family-friendly university and is committed to helping working/studying parents balance their family and working lives.

Osnabrück University seeks to guarantee equality of opportunity for women and men and strives to correct any gender imbalance in its schools and departments.

If two candidates are equally qualified, preference will be given to the candidate with disability status.

Please send your application including an informative letter of motivation, CV, publication list as well as the contact details of two academic referees as a single PDF-document to the Dean of the School of Biology/Chemistry (bewerb-bio@uni-osnabrueck.de) until July 31, 2024, quoting reference code “SFB-Z1”.

Further information can be obtained from Prof. Dr. Joost Holthuis (holthuis@uos.de; Phone +49 541 969 7140) or by visiting our website: https://holthuis-lab-uos.de/positions.

We look forward to receiving your application.