Postdoc Positions at The Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry

 

The Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB) in Martinsried, Munich is one of the leading international research institutions in the fields of biochemistry, cell and structural biology and biomedical research. With about 30 scientific departments and research groups and about 800 employees, the MPIB is one of the largest institutes of the Max Planck Society.

Postdoc Positions (f/m/d) are available in the Department of Cell and Virus Structure to work with Dr John Briggs.

1. Computational methods for cryo-electron tomography and subtomogram averaging

Projects are available to develop a theoretical and practical framework to understand how to collect optimized cryo-electron tomography data; and to further develop an image-processing toolbox for subtomogram averaging in collaboration with the group of Sjors Scheres. You should have a PhD in a relevant subject (physics, computational sciences, biophysics or similar) and a strong interest in the theory and methods of cryo-electron microscopy and image processing. Experience in computer programming is required.

2. Structural studies of enveloped viruses

Projects are available addressing the structure and the assembly mechanisms of enveloped viruses including influenza A, HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, primarily by applying cryo-electron microscopy and tomography methods. You should have a PhD in a relevant subject (Biophysics, virology, computational sciences, structural biology or similar), relevant experience in virology and/or structural biology, and a strong interest in virus structure. Expertise in cryo-electron microscopy would be an advantage.

3. Mechanisms of membrane trafficking vesicle assembly

The research team have a long standing interest in the mechanisms of vesicle coats including COPI, COPII, clathrin/APs and retromer. Projects are available studying the structures, the assembly mechanisms, and the regulation of the protein coats of membrane trafficking vesicles, in collaboration with David Owen (CIMR, University of Cambridge). You will make use of biochemical techniques (protein production and characterisation, lipid work, in-vitro reconstitution etc) and structural techniques (primarily cryo-electron microscopy and cryo-electron tomography, crystallography if appropriate). You should have a PhD in a relevant subject (biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, structural biology or similar), relevant experience in biochemistry and/or structural biology, and a strong interest in cellular mechanisms and protein structure.

The initial contract will be for two years, with the possibility for extension.

The salary level will be according to TVöD (Bund) (public salary scale). The initial appointment for all positions are for two years with the possibility for extension.

The Max-Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

For further information about the MPIB, please visit https://www.biochem.mpg.de/en . Informal enquiries can be directed to Dr. John Briggs (briggs@biochem.mpg.de).

Have we aroused your interest? Please submit your application documents (pdf-files) via our
online application website by 16. July, 2021.