Postdoctoral Fellow

The research group of Alba Diz-Muñoz in the Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit of EMBL Heidelberg is recruiting a postdoctoral researcher to explore the use of lipid derivatives for the study of membrane mechanics in fundamental cell biology. Our international and enthusiastic team performs high quality research in the areas of cell biology, biophysics, and medicine with a particular interest in the role of mechanics at the interface between the cell and its surroundings.

Your Role

How the biophysical properties of the cell membrane influence cell physiology and pathology has long evaded detailed study due to the difficulty of manipulating these properties in living cells. However, it is increasingly recognized that membrane properties such as fluidity may play an important, even instructive, role in critical cell processes (https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.14.618153v1). The successful candidate will participate in an exciting project aimed at developing and using cutting edge tools to explore the role of lipid composition and cell membrane mechanics in fundamental cellular processes such as mitosis.

This project will involve a collaboration with the lipid chemistry lab of Carsten Schultz at the Oregon Health and Science University.

You Have

• A PhD degree in the life sciences or related field (e.g. cell or lipid biology, biophysics)
• You are an enthusiastic and curious scientist with a strong drive to learn new things
• You enjoy working collaboratively and being part of an interdisciplinary team
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Experience in molecular biology, cell culture techniques, and light microscopy
• Fluency in English (written and oral)
  
  

You might also have

• Experience in lipid biology
• Experience with biophysical measurement techniques such as AFM, or optical or magnetic tweezers
• Experience working with optogenetic systems
• Programming skills
  
  

Why join us

EMBL is an inclusive, equal opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation with a very collegial and family friendly working environment. The remuneration package comprises a competitive salary, a comprehensive pension scheme, medical, educational and other social benefits, and the availability of an excellent child care facility on campus.

The Diz-Muñoz group is an international and interdisciplinary group of researchers. We thrive on collaboration, open discussion, and helping each other. In the Diz-Muñoz group we believe that diversity is a great strength, and that researchers thrive when they feel safe to discuss ideas and openly share any struggles or problems. The candidate will also be expected to support these values.

• Don’t meet every single requirement? We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply nevertheless.
  
  

What Else You Need To Know

We are Europe’s research laboratory for the life sciences – an intergovernmental organisation performing scientific research in disciplines including molecular biology, physics, chemistry and computer science. We are an international, innovative and interdisciplinary laboratory with more than 1900 employees from many nations, operating across six sites, in Heidelberg (HQ), Barcelona, Hinxton near Cambridge, Hamburg, Grenoble and Rome.

Our mission is to offer vital services in training scientists, students and visitors at all levels; to develop new instruments and methods in the life sciences and actively engage in technology transfer activities, and to integrate European life science research. The working language of the institute is English.

Please note that this appointment is on a fixed-term contract of up to two years in total, depending on the length of the stay of the relevant Group Leader.

EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we implement best practices in research assessment in our recruitment processes here.

Please apply online through: www.embl.org/jobs