About this role
The position A Postdoctoral Research Fellow position is available at the Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, with the research group for Host-Microbe Interactions. The position is a fixed term position for a duration of 3 years. It is a prerequisite that the applicant can carry out the project over the full course of the employment period. No person may hold more than one fixed term position as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the same institution. As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, you will have the opportunity to advance your scientific career and further qualify for academic positions. If you do not already have the educational competence that meets the requirements for an Associate Professor position in Norway, UiT will arrange such competence during the employment period. The workplace is at UiT in Tromsø. You must be able to start in the position within a reasonable time after receiving the offer. Unless special circumstances indicate otherwise, postdoctoral projects shall be planned with stays abroad. The duration should be at least 6 months. The project/position's field of research The postdoctoral fellow will be part of an emerging project area headed by Prof. Christian Lentz. Combining chemical biology, molecular biology, bacterial physiology and infection biology methods, our research is dedicated to unravel how bacterial pathogens functionally adapt to their host and antibiotics and to translate these insights to develop innovative approaches to prevent, treat and diagnose bacterial infections. In particular, we are interested in understanding: i) how single cells shape the collective function of bacterial pathogen cell populations during colonization and infection, ii) how previously undercharacterized hydrolytic enzymes and dynamic changes in chemical modifications of the biomolecular landscape of bacterial cells contribute to bacterial physiology, pathogenesis and drug susceptibility, iii) understanding and modelling pathogenesis and treatment failure of difficult-to-treat clinical infections. The main model organisms used in our team are Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. We seek a highly motivated, research-minded candidate, with a strong academic track-record and complementary research interests and expertise. The project will be tailored to the successful candidate, and the postdoctoral fellow is encouraged to develop their own research ideas and strategies within the framework of the project. The postdoctoral fellow will manage the project, design and execute experiments, and supervise students. The postdoctoral fellow will have access to core facilities at the Faculty of Health Sciences, providing state-of-the-art technology and hands-on expertise in bioimaging, FACS, proteomics/metabolomics, genomics and animal experimentation. The postdoctoral fellow will work in a team with local, national and international collaboration partners. The postdoctoral fellow may contribute to the Department's teaching activities (up to 10% of the time). Teaching duties will be allocated based on the applicant's qualifications and the needs of the Department, and may include exam work, teaching seminars, and supervising or assisting in lab courses. You must submit a vision statement for how you will strengthen research activities in the research group. Contact For further information about the position, please contact Professor Christian Lentz: Phone: (+47) 77644905 Email: [email protected] or Professor Mona Johannessen: Phone +47 776 46225 Email: [email protected] Qualifications Required qualifications: Completion of a relevant PhD degree in molecular microbiology/bacterial infection biology/chemical biology or related field of study is required before starting the position. Applicants who in the final stages of their PhD are welcome to apply. Strong academic track record and publication list A high motivation for research and complementarity of the candidate´s research interest and expertise with ongoing research activities in the research group as is to be outlined in the candidate´s vision statement. Strong documented skills in at least one of the following areas is required Bacterial Pathogenesis Cellular Microbiology Bacterial physiology and stress responses Molecular microbiology (related to pathogenic bacteria) Interactions of bacterial pathogens and the human microbiome Chemical biology applied to bacteria Fluency in English is required. Nordic applicants can document their capabilities by attaching their high school diploma. Desired qualifications Experience with one or several of the following techniques Single-cell techniques and cellular phenotypic heterogeneity Production of recombinant proteins Flow cytometry and cell-sorting Advanced microscopy and imaging methodologies Genetic manipulation of bacterial pathogens and/or mammalian cells Proteomics or Lipidomics Animal infection models Working knowledge of Norwegian or a Scandinavian language is desired. Nordic applicants can document their capabilities by attaching their high school diploma. In the assessment the main emphasis will be attached to the submitted works and the submitted vision statement. Emphasis shall also be attached to experience from popularization/dissemination and academic policy and administrative activity. As teaching duties or equivalent work is attached to the position, emphasis will also be attached to teaching experience and qualifications. During the assessment emphasis will be put on the candidate’s motivation, potential for research, and personal suitability for the position. We are looking for candidates who: Have good collaboration skills and who can work both independently and in a team Have good communication and interaction with colleagues and students Want to contribute to a good working environment At UiT we put emphasis on the quality, relevance and significance of the research work and not on where the work is published, in acco