The PhD positions in Groningen will be located in the Analytical Biochemistry research group (www.biomac.nl) and focus on studying the biotransformation of therapeutic proteins in systems mimicking the in vivo situation to predict efficacy and PKPD parameters. This entails affinity enrichment of therapeutic proteins and their detailed analysis by liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The PhD student in Groningen will work in close collaboration with the other PhD students in the network and with industrial partners (e.g. Hexal AG, PRA Health Sciences). The PhD students in Groningen will interact closely with other group members and with clinicians from the adjacent University Medical Center Groningen.

The applicant should have an MSc degree with a strong background in bioanalytical chemistry with emphasis on LC-MS and protein chemistry. He/she should enjoy working with novel instrumental analytical techniques and have a good understanding of sample preparation, LC-MS and the analysis of data derived from high-resolution mass spectrometry. Good communication skills (both verbal and written) in English are a prerequisite. The candidate should be enthusiastic about research, capable of learning new skills, and happy working in an interdisciplinary, international research environment.

Fixed-term contract: 48 months.

The University of Groningen offers a salary of € 2,222 gross per month in the first year up to a maximum of € 2,840 gross per month in the fourth and final year, based on a fulltime position, excluding a 8% holiday allowance and a 8.3% end-of-the-year bonus.

The position is limited to a period of 4 years. The first year constitutes a probationary period, with an evaluation of the candidate’s performance after 9 months. The objective of this evaluation is to establish whether the candidate will be able to finish a PhD thesis in the remaining three years. If the performance evaluation is positive, the candidate’s contract will be extended by another 3 years, for a total of 4 years. A PhD training program is part of the agreement and the successful candidate will be enrolled in the Graduate School of the Faculty. The conditions of employment are available at the University of Groningen website under Human Resources: www.rug.nl/about-us/work-with-us/

The ultimate starting date is 1 April 2018.

Application
You may apply for this position until 7 January / 8 January 2018 Dutch local time by means of the application form (click on "Apply" below on the advertisement on the university website).

Applications for the position should include:
• cover letter
• curriculum vitae, including details of bachelor and master's degrees and publication list, if applicable
• detailed (1-2 pages) description of previous research experience, such as the bachelor/master research projects
• recommendation letter from 2 referees.

Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative center of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programs and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 30,000 students and researchers alike to develop their own individual talents. As one of the best research universities in Europe, the University of Groningen has joined forces with other top universities and networks worldwide to become a truly global center of knowledge.

The Faculty of Science and Engineering harbors a kaleidoscope of disciplines and research strengths. Our programs in research and education range from nanomaterials and biomachinery to astronomy, from mathematics to pharmacy, from neurosciences to computer science, and from molecular and evolutionary biology to marine biology. Our researchers pursue fundamental questions while collaborating with partners from industry, the medical world and other parts of society. Frontline research groups explore new fields such as synthetic biology and sustainable energy use. The Faculty comprises a number of research institutes (www.rug.nl/fse/research/).

The Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy (GRIP) strives to discover innovative drugs and therapies as well as improving the use of existing drugs. GRIP’s research ambition is to contribute to the entire field of the pharmaceutical sciences, from basic research in chemical analysis and synthesis to pharmaceutical practice and patient-oriented research. Bridging the gap between fundamental natural sciences and medical/clinical sciences is one of the core activities of the institute.

The A4B Network
The graduate school Analytics for Biologics (A4B) is offering 15 PhD positions with the aim to produce the much-needed specialists in the field of production, down-stream processing and analysis of therapeutic proteins (TP). This Marie Sklodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (ITN) is composed of 11 European academic and industrial institutions and provides the optimal scientific network for training schools and individual research projects toward a common goal. The PhD positions in Groningen are denominated ESR 9 and ESR 10.