Research assistant position in Structural biology of non-coding RNAs - Hiring in process/Finished, not possible to apply

Are you interested in working with RNA cryoEM, with the support of competent and friendly colleagues in an international environment? Are you looking for an employer that invests in sustainable employeeship and offers safe, favourable working conditions? We welcome you to apply for a Research assistant position at Uppsala University.

The Department of Cell and Molecular Biology is divided into seven research programs that focus on different areas within cell and molecular biology: computational biology and bioinformatics, microbiology, molecular biology, molecular biophysics, molecular evolution, molecular systems biology and structural biology. The scientific basis of what we do is in biology, but our research overlaps with other fields such as medicine, computer science, mathematics, chemistry, engineering and physics. The department has over 200 employees with around 60 PhD students. Please read more about the organization's work at https://icm.uu.se.

The research assistant will work in Marco Marcia’s research group. Marco Marcia leads a research group in structural and cell biology and RNA biochemistry. The group works with RNA cryoEM and X-ray crystallography, coupled to RNA chemical probing, mutagenesis, cellular functional assays, and RNA-protein interaction techniques. These are used to understand structure-function relationships in large catalytic and regulatory non-coding RNAs involved in bacterial and fungal infections, cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders. The employee will work in an international and dynamic environment with great opportunities to learn new techniques. We will have a well-equipped lab, in house access to a Glacios cryoEM microscope, and access to national SciLifeLab facilities in structural biology, proteomics, genomics, chemical biology, genetic engineering, and imaging in Uppsala, Stockholm, and Gothenburg.

Duties
We are looking for a research assistant with excellent credentials and strong motivation to identify and solve scientific problems. The employee will work in a project that aims to understand structural and mechanistic aspects of how bacterial and fungal self-splicing ribozymes acquire their catalytic 3D structures. Tasks include general RNA-based molecular biology techniques (cloning, mutagenesis, in vitro transcription), RNA purification, biochemical and biophysical characterization (electrophoresis, MALLS, mass photometry), and RNA structural biology (crystallography, cryoEM).

The research assistant will work closely with a doctoral student and other researchers with partly complementary competences, but is expected to run their own project independently. A strong track record with documented laboratory skills, motivation and good collaboration skills is a prerequisite for the position.

Requirements
The candidate should have or be about to obtain a PhD degree in molecular biology, biochemistry, or analogous fields.

• Experience working with in vitro transcribed RNA
• Experience working with RNA cryo-electron microscopy
• Experience working with RNA SAXS and integrative structural biology
• Good knowledge of English
• Good cooperation skills

Additional qualifications

• Experience studying the biological pathways that regulate splicing is advantageous.
• Experience in organizing and presenting at scientific meetings is advantageous

The application must contain:

• Personal letter
• A CV with the complete list of publications
• Contact details for two reference persons

About the employment
The employment is a temporary position, 12 months. Scope of employment 100%. Starting date November 1st 2024 or as agreed. Placement: Uppsala.

For further information about the position, please contact: Marco Marcia, 0033-(0)476207759, marco.marcia@icm.uu.se

Please submit your application by 17 May 2024, UFV-PA 2024/1546.

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