A 2-year postdoctoral position is available in the ELMA group to investigate the enzymatic chemistry orchestrated in the microbial anaerobic carbon cycling. The offer is part of the ERC Project “EnLightEn,” which is devoted to understanding the molecular basis of methanogenesis and methanotrophy in non-isolated anaerobic archaea.
Mission : Your tasks will include
- Preparing microbial biomass (microbial enrichments cultured in flasks or bioreactors, as well as environmental samples),
- Extract the proteins involved in catabolic processes and purify them using our oxygen-free process,
- Characterise the proteins using biochemical, biophysical and structural tools,
- Analyse the data obtained to elucidate the reaction mechanisms,
- Present these findings in the form of scientific articles.
Required skills : The ideal postdoc candidate must hold a PhD in protein biochemistry and have a solid background in structural biology, including the purification of native enzymes, their crystallization, X-ray crystallographic data collection, structural analyses, and enzyme functional assay. Candidates with experience in anaerobic handling, from microbial production to the crystallization/characterization of O2-sensitive proteins, are strongly encouraged to apply and will be treated as a priority.
Fluent english is required.
Expected starting date : 01/06/2026