We are looking for a postdoctoral fellow with backgrounds in crystallography or related fields who are motivated to work in an interdisciplinary research environment studying the dynamics of membrane transporters using the combination of photopharmacology and time-resolved crystallography. This research project is financially supported by the Dutch Science Foundation.

In this project, the membrane protein dynamics during a ligand binding will be assessed both on millisecond (using synchrotron radiation) and femtosecond scale (using XFELs). Biochemistry and crystallisation protocols are in place. The nature of the project requires considerable travelling for data collection at synchrotron facilities.

The postdoctoral fellow will become a member of the research group led by Dr. Albert Guskov, which is embedded in the GBB research Institute. The fellow will have access to cutting-edge structural biology facilities, both in-house (crystallisation and optimisation robots, imager, etc.) as well as access to top research facilities such as ESRF, Petra III, Eu-XFEL and PAL for measurements.

Postdoctoral fellows can receive training and advanced courses or workshops on generic research, transferable skills and teaching. Postdoctoral fellows at the Faculty of Science and Engineering also benefit from a Postdoc community to meet peers.

As a postdoctoral fellow, you are committed to conduct independent and original scientific research, to report on this research in international publications and presentations. Postdoctoral fellows are expected to contribute about 10% of their overall workload to teaching.

The candidates should have the following qualifications:

• a PhD degree with specialisation in structural biology, biochemistry, chemistry, biophysics, or related field is required
• excellent communication and writing skills in English
• ability to work independently and in a team
• proven experience in membrane protein production, purification and crystallisation
• experience in macromolecular crystallography
• experience in serial crystallography (data collection, data processing) is an advantage.

Fixed-term contract: 36 months.

We offer you in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities:

• a salary based on qualifications and experience, starting at € 3,353 gross per month (salary scale 10), based on a fulltime position (1.0 FTE)
• a holiday allowance of 8%
• an 8.3% year-end bonus.

The position offered is for 3 years. Each successful candidate will first be offered a temporary position of one year with the option of renewal for another 2 years. Prolongation of the contract is contingent on sufficient progress in the first year.

The starting date is flexible.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Founded in 1614, the University of Groningen enjoys an international reputation as a dynamic and innovative centre of higher education offering high-quality teaching and research. Flexible study programmes and academic career opportunities in a wide variety of disciplines encourage the 32,000 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 centre of knowledge.

The Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute (GBB), one of the larger institutes of the Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), provides an excellent environment for top-notch research in the field of biomolecular sciences. Twelve vibrant research groups with strong roots in biochemistry, biophysical chemistry, cell biology, computational biology, genetics, microbiology, molecular biology, and systems biology are organised in two focal areas: ‘Molecular Mechanisms of Biological Processes’ and ‘Physiology and Systems Biology’.