Postdoc Bioinformatics (m/f/d)

The Max Planck Society is one of the leading research organizations in Europe. We offer challenging tasks with a high degree of personal responsibility and creative freedom in research laboratories, technical research and supply areas, workshops, and administration.

Not only do we promote outstanding young researchers in the research institutes, we are also committed to supporting in numerous vocational trainings.

The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine conducts basic research into the development of cells, tissues, and organs.

Using molecular and cell biological methods, more than 150 researchers aim to find out how cells exchange information, which molecules control their behavior, and which errors in the dialogue between cells lead to the development of diseases.

The institute, which is affiliated with the University, is located in the dynamic and charming city of Muenster, Germany, which is a hub of cell biology and life sciences research in Germany.

The Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine in Münster, Germany, has an opening for a

Postdoc Position (m / f / div)

in the Max Planck Research Group for Biophysical Regulation of Cell State Dynamics of Dr. Kate Miroshnikova.

Activities and responsibilities

Our research aims to uncover mechanistic principles of mammalian tissue architecture maintenance and its role in genome integrity and proper cellular function.

We further aim to understand how these mechanisms are perturbed with cancer onset and progression. Discovering these regulatory principles will facilitate the development of regenerative therapies and more effective diagnostics and treatments against cancer.

The successful candidate will join a dynamic, international research team that applies a highly interdisciplinary research strategy that builds on stem cell biology, combining scale-bridging tools of bioengineering and biophysics, machine learning-based quantitative imaging, genome-wide analyses, spatial transcriptomics, and computational modeling.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPECTED TASKS

• PhD in engineering / bioengineering / biophysics / computer science or related field
• Proficiency in Python programming and image analysis (R, Java, or MATLAB is a plus)
• Prior experience with fluorescence confocal imaging, data visualization, and microscopy
• Prior experience with genomic analyses / bioinformatics skills is a plus
• Strong communication and organization skills
• Strong code / analyses documentation skills
• Interest in spatial transcriptomics methods
• Ability to work independently to solve technical problems
• Prior experience with mammalian cell culture
• Contribute to scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals

YOUR PROFILE

We are looking for a scientist who is interested in implementing existing cutting-edge technologies, development of new image processing, analysis, and visualization tools and workflows for imaging data, as well as its integration with spatial transcriptomics and mechanical measurements.

The projects aim to understand cell state and tissue architectural evolution using human and mouse colorectal cancer as models.

The candidate will join a highly multidisciplinary, international, diverse, and dynamic team and work collaboratively to better understand, model, and predict the likely routes of cancer progression / aggression in order to improve therapeutic strategies for patients.

OUR OFFER

• Temporary employment of two years with the option for a longer-term cooperation according to the Collective Agreement for the Public Service (TVöD)
• Salary is in accordance with pay group 13 of the TVöD
• Access to state-of-the-art facilities in genomics, computational biology, proteomics, microscopy, and more
• Access to world class experts in life sciences, cell biology, engineering, and cancer biology
• Attendance at national and international conferences as well as opportunities for internal and external training
• Vibrant, friendly, and collegial working atmosphere
• Compatibility of family and career through the possibility to arrange working hours individually and flexibly
• Childcare facility (U3) at the institute
• Company health management (BGM) including a work-life portal
• English as working language

The Max-Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

The Max Planck Society strives for gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

In order to actively live equality at our institute, we not only offer attractive framework conditions, but also, among other things, internal and external support options for balancing family and career.

Our institute’s large daycare center offers care options for children under the age of three.

As an employer with a strong interest in employee satisfaction, occupational health management or the offer of internal and external training courses are naturally established at the institute.