A postdoc position is available for an initial period of two years with possible extension to three years at the earliest start of 1.9.2025, but a later starting time can be negotiated. The project concerns an integrative effort where several cryo-EM structures are used to develop donor and acceptor labelled proteins and complexes to follow their large scale rearrangements by single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy.

Jobdescription

The postdoc will first incorporate donors and acceptors by a genetic code expansion approach, introduction of free cysteines and insertion of peptide tags for labelling in the target proteins. The postdoc will collect single molecule FRET data and by integration with existing atomic models establish trajectories for key conformational changes in the investigated molecules.

The project is based in the team of professor Gregers Rom Andersen at the department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MBG). Funding for the project is secured by a major grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation specific for the project to Andersen.

One part of the project, for which the postdoc will be responsible, concerns the complex between the 250 kDa convertase (a proteolytic enzyme) CVFBb and its substrate, the 195 kDa protein complement C5. A series of unpublished cryo-EM structures representing intermediates along the reaction path are available to support rational design of fluorescent convertase and substrate. A second part of the project will investigate very recently discovered dynamic properties of the complex between the 150 kDa complement receptor 3 (CR3) and its ligands iC3b/C3d. CR3 is also an integrin receptor known as αMβ2 and is essential for macrophage phagocytosis of complement opsonized pathogens and apoptotic cells. Also the CR3 project will have a strong foundation in multiple cryo-EM structures. Here the postdoc will work closely together with a PhD student dedicated to this project.

The single molecule data will be obtained by the postdoc at a local state of the art infrastructure headed by collaborator associate professor Victoria Birkedal at the interdisciplinary nano (iNANO) center and Department of Chemistry located 500 meter from MBG. The postdoc will be assisted by staff scientists with expertise in complement biology, integrin biology, cell culture, and single molecule spectroscopy.
 

Qualifications

The applicant should have a background and a PhD degree in molecular biology, biophysics, nanotechnology or another relevant field. The applicant must be fluent in written and spoken English and have a proven capability for independent thinking, experimental design, experimental implementation and a critical approach to data analysis. The applicant should have relevant original first author papers or submitted manuscripts in recognized and relevant journals.

Examples of useful qualifications include prior experience with production of soluble proteins in mammalian cell culture, protein purification, biophysical characterization of proteins and integrative modelling of large complexes, including experience with single molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. An interest in structural biology is required, but prior experience with structure determination itself is not required and the postdoc will not engage directly in structure determination. Prior experience with proteolytic enzymes broadly, complement biology and integrin receptors will be considered positive but is not essential.
 

Place of work and area of employment

The place of work is Universitetsbyen 81. 8000 Aarhus C, and the area of employment is Aarhus University with related departments. 

Start date and duration of employment

This is a two year (24 months) position from 1 September 2025 or as soon as possible.

Contact information

For further information, please contact: Professor Gregers Rom Andersen, gra@mbg.au.dk

Application procedure

Shortlisting is used. This means that after the deadline for applications – and with the assistance from the assessment committee chairman, and the appointment committee if necessary, – the head of department selects the candidates to be evaluated. All applicants will be notified whether or not their applications have been sent to an expert assessment committee for evaluation. The selected applicants will be informed about the composition of the committee, and each applicant is given the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that concerns him/her self. Once the recruitment process is completed a final letter of rejection is sent to the deselected applicants.

Letter of reference

If you want a referee to upload a letter of reference on your behalf, please state the referee’s contact information when you submit your application. We strongly recommend that you make an agreement with the person in question before you enter the referee’s contact information, and that you ensure that the referee has enough time to write the letter of reference before the application deadline. Unfortunately, it is not possible to ensure that letters of reference received after the application deadline will be taken into consideration.

If you wish to add a referee after you have submitted your application, you must send this person’s details (name, job title, place of work, and email address) as well as the name of the position you have applied for to: HR.Nattech@au.dk

Formalities and salary range

Natural Sciences refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities under the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

The application must be in English and include a curriculum vitae, degree certificate, a complete list of publications, a statement of future research plans and information about research activities, teaching portfolio and verified information on previous teaching experience (if any). Guidelines for applicants can be found here.

Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations. Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities.

Salary depends on seniority as agreed between the Danish Ministry of Taxation and the Confederation of Professional Associations.

Aarhus University’s ambition is to be an attractive and inspiring workplace for all and to foster a culture in which each individual has opportunities to thrive, achieve and develop. We view equality and diversity as assets, and we welcome all applicants.

Research activities will be evaluated in relation to actual research time. Thus, we encourage applicants to specify periods of leave without research activities, in order to be able to subtract these periods from the span of the scientific career during the evaluation of scientific productivity.

Aarhus University offers a broad variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including relocation service and career counselling to expat partners. Read more here. Please find more information about entering and working in Denmark here.

Aarhus University also offers a Junior Researcher Development Programme targeted at career development for postdocs at AU. You can read more about it here.

At the Faculty of Natural Science at Aarhus University, we strive to support our scientific staff in their career development. We focus on competency development and career clarification and want to make your opportunities transparent. On our website, you can find information on all types of scientific positions, as well as the entry criteria we use when assessing candidates. You can also read more about how we can assist you in your career planning and development.

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

 

Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/