Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Protein Engineering at the
International Institute
of Molecular and Cell Biology (IIMCB),
Warsaw, headed by Prof. Janusz M. Bujnicki, offers a position for a
Ph.D. student motivated to develop a career in an
interdisciplinary and international team.
Deadline for applications is March 15th, 2019. Job starting date: as soon as possible.
Project description: One of the fundamental challenges of
biology is to design RNA molecules that form desired structures and
carry out desired functions. Designing RNA sequences with specific
folding properties has already proven useful in a number of
applications in biotechnology, molecular medicine, and material
science.
We have already developed new methods for the
computational design of RNA sequences and structures. We are
currently improving the software and testing our methods in practice,
including synthesis and structure determination of the designed
molecules. The current goal is to improve the design of RNA molecules
that can switch between several defined structures, depending on the
conditions.
As a Ph.D. student, you will be involved in the development and testing of a computational method for designing RNA molecules that are capable of switching between desired alternative 3D structures. Your work will be focused on programming and computational analyses. Students interested in interdisciplinary research may optionally learn how theoretical predictions are tested experimentally.
Required for this position:
M.Sc. (or equivalent) in computer science, physics, molecular biology, chemistry or related area
Eligibility for Ph.D. studies in Poland under the supervision of Prof. Bujnicki
Documented experience in programming (preferably Python and/or C/C++). Knowledge of Python or C/C++ is not mandatory, and experience with other programming languages will also be considered, but the candidate must be willing to learn Python and C/C++ very quickly, as most of our programs are written in these languages
Proactive approach to achieving objectives, good interpersonal skills, collaborative attitude
Very good written and oral communication in English
Desired, but not essential expertise:
Experience with software development for any type of modeling and/or simulations
Experience in bioinformatics, biological data analysis
Hands-on experience with software development tools and practices (Git, unit testing, code reviews, etc.)
Knowledge of common scientific algorithms (dynamic programming, geometric transformations, etc.)
Priority will be given to candidates with expertise most relevant to the project and to the profile of the laboratory, who are familiar with our work (e.g., our publications and our software) and who can convincingly explain why their expertise is a good fit for our requirements.
We offer:
Full-time Ph.D. scholarship, initially funded from the OPUS grant until 02/04/2021, with an expected extension for the duration of a complete Ph.D. project (see below for details).
3500 PLN of full stipend cost per month
Position with 100% focus on scientific work (no teaching obligations)
Scientific mentoring, including the supervision of an individual Thesis Advisory Committee
Participation in courses, scientific training, support from peers
Benefits including reduced-rate for a medical care package and membership in the MultiSport program
Technical, administrative, and organizational support from professional English-speaking personnel
The funding for the initial stage of the Ph.D. project is provided by a grant entitled “Development of new methods for designing RNA molecules that fold into desired spatial structures and their use for the development of new functional RNAs and for prediction of noncoding RNAs in transcriptome sequences", carried out as the OPUS 2017/25/B/NZ2/01294 grant of the Polish National Science Center (NCN). The research project is expected to be continued and funded by the host laboratory for four years (the full cycle of Ph.D. studies).
The
institution: International Institute of Molecular and Cell
Biology in Warsaw www.iimcb.gov.pl
is one of the
top-ranked (A+) Polish research institutes, which
provides a stimulating and interdisciplinary research environment.
Research topics at IIMCB cover the wide area of molecular, cellular,
and structural biology.
The Institute is equipped with
state-of-the-art technology, has excellent core facilities and
supportive administration. The institute is located on a large
biomedical campus that offers access to equipment and various
possibilities of training and collaboration. The working language of
the institute is English.
The team: Our group http://genesilico.pl is highly interdisciplinary and international. We are driven by curiosity to answer fundamental questions in bio-sciences and to make new molecules that are practically useful. We combine various approaches for studying the structures and mechanisms of action of biological macromolecules, in particular RNA, as well as macromolecular complexes involving nucleic acids, proteins, and small molecules. We use computational methods and knowledge-based design to engineer molecules with new structures and functions. Our key strength is the integration of various types of heterogeneous data, and the combination of theoretical and experimental approaches.
The experimentalists in the group use biochemical and biophysical approaches to elucidate the structures and functions of our target molecules, while our theoreticians develop innovative computational tools. We make our software available publicly, often as web servers. We collaborate to gather, process, and analyze the data, make new predictions and discoveries, and to develop new solutions that address important scientific problems.
Ph.D. studies: Our Ph.D. students are enrolled in Ph.D. schools on the campus, in particular at the collaborating institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Ph.D. students have an opportunity to participate in a hands-on training program, covering theoretical and practical aspects of molecular biology, biochemistry, biophysics of proteins and nucleic acids, structural biology, and bioinformatics. Students-programmers are trained in software development. Ph.D. studies involve a full-time research project in one or more of the areas mentioned above, combined with training in soft skills (e.g., presenting scientific results, writing publications and grant applications, managing projects).
How to apply:
Apply now (before the deadline of March 15th, 2019) to employment@genesilico.pl
In the subject include "PhDstudent_modeling_software" and your first and last name.
Your
application must be submitted in English and should contain: 1) a
CV, 2) a cover letter including
a short description of your
key achievements and explicit responses to the following questions:
What are your scientific interests and how do they relate to
requirements of the position offered?
What are your key
strengths? What do you know about our laboratory and why do you want
to work with us? 3) contacts to at least two potential referees,
including your M.Sc. supervisor
Please
include the following statement in your application: “I
hereby agree to the processing
of my personal data, included in
the application documents by the International Institute of
Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, 4 Księcia Trojdena Street,
02-109 Warsaw, for the purpose of carrying
out the
current
recruitment process.” Your
personal data will be processed for the purpose of the recruitment
procedure by the International Institute of Molecular and Cell
Biology in Warsaw.
Full information is available under the
link https://www.iimcb.gov.pl/pl/information-clause
The competition may be extended or repeated until a suitable candidate who fulfills all requirements is found
Substantive inquiries can be addressed directly to Prof. Bujnicki, Head of Laboratory iamb@genesilico.pl
In administrative matters, please contact Katarzyna Fiedorowicz, Head of HR Unit kfiedorowicz@iimcb.gov.pl
The Ph.D. student will be selected from
candidates in an open competition, according to the procedure
complying the rules for granting scholarships for young scientists in
research projects funded by the National Science Centre
(NCN
Council Resolution No. 96/2016 dated October 27, 2016 r.) and to the
rules of the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct
for the Recruitment of Researchers as a part of HR Excellence in
Research strategy https://www.iimcb.gov.pl/en/institute/hr-excellence
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