Postdoc Position in H5Nx interactions

Join our international team to investigate how H5N1 influenza A viruses adapt to mammalian hosts. In this postdoc project, you will dissect HA–NA functionalities, study viral evolution across species, and help reveal the molecular basis of host jumps. You will work at the interface of virology, glycobiology, structural biology, and viral pathogenesis.

Your job
As a postdoctoral researcher, you will lead a multidisciplinary project on the molecular determinants of H5N1 adaptation in emerging hosts, including cattle. You will investigate how haemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) shift in activity, receptor usage, and stability during host jumps.

Your key responsibilities:

• Performing biochemical, glycan-binding, and enzymatic assays on HA and NA from diverse viral isolates.
• Integrating structural, functional, and evolutionary data to map adaptation signatures.
• Collaborating closely with partners at the Friedrich-Löffler-Institut on virological relevance.
• Publishing high-impact research and present at international conferences.
• Contributing to supervision of students and support collaborative lab projects.
• Developing your scientific independence, including the opportunity to prepare and submit personal grant applications.

You will collaborate closely with colleagues working on H5N1, H3N2, Coronavirus, multivalency, receptor binding and release profiling, and much more. This diversity allows you to explore ideas across disciplines while shaping your own scientific identity. We encourage independence, curiosity, and career development—including support for applying to personal grants and fellowships.

By joining us, you become part of a mission-driven team aiming to decode how influenza viruses adapt to new hosts and contribute to preventing future zoonotic threats.

Must-have qualifications (you will use these daily):

• A PhD in virology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or a related field – enabling you, to design and interpret functional assays on HA and NA.
• Experience with protein or virus-related laboratory techniques (e.g. cell culture, protein expression, enzymatic or binding assays) to independently run experiments and generate high-quality datasets.
• Strong analytical skills, enabling you to integrate biochemical, structural, and evolutionary data to uncover host-adaptation signatures.
• Effective communication skills, allowing you to collaborate effectively with partners at the Friedrich-Löffler-Institut and present your findings clearly.

Nice-to-have qualifications (not required, but beneficial):

• Experience with glycobiology, structural biology, or influenza evolution, for example using glycan interaction assays, bioinformatics tools, or structural models to refine hypotheses.

• a one-year appointment, with a possible extension of 18 months following a positive evaluation (total duration: 30 months).
• a gross monthly salary between € 3.546 and €5.538 in the case of full-time employment (salary scale 10 under the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU));
• 8% holiday pay and 8.3% year-end bonus;
• a pension scheme, partially paid parental leave and flexible terms of employment based on the CAO NU.

In addition to the terms of employment laid down in the CAO NU, Utrecht University also offers a range of its own schemes for employees. This includes arrangements for professional development, various types of leave, and options for sports and cultural activities. You can also tailor your employment conditions through our Terms of Employment Options Model. In this way, we encourage you to keep investing in your personal and professional development. For more information, please visit Working at Utrecht University.

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You will join the Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery community at Utrecht University, an energetic and collaborative environment where we combine biochemistry and glycobiology to understand host–pathogen interactions at the molecular level. The de Vries group focuses on influenza virus evolution, HA–NA balance, glycan receptor specificity, and multivalent interactions—linking fundamental biochemistry to real-world zoonotic risks.

Our team is international, friendly, and highly supportive, consisting of PhD students, postdocs, and interns with backgrounds in virology, chemical biology, protein engineering, and glycomics. We work closely together, share expertise, and celebrate each other’s scientific progress. You will collaborate directly with researchers at the Friedrich-Löffler-Institut, one of the world’s leading high-containment virology centers, ensuring that your biochemical findings connect with in vivo and epidemiological relevance.

For more information, please contact Robert de Vries at r.vries@uu.nl.

Do you have a question about the application procedure? Please send an email to science.recruitment@uu.nl.