Postdoc at the LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology

Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen

We are looking for a highly motivated and dynamic postdoctoral scientist to commence March 2023 or as soon as possible.

The applicant will be working towards understanding the role of B and T cells in complex disorders of the skin including atopic dermatitis and psoriasis as part of the Skin Immunology Research Centre. 

Information on the LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center can be found at https://sic.ku.dk/ .

Our group and research
The Coquet group is dedicated to understanding the basic functions of T helper cells and B cells in immunological disorders including allergies, autoimmune diseases and cancer. In the past, we have relied greatly on mouse models of disease to decipher critical features of pathogenic immune responses. An interest for our group has been to understand how T helper cells differentiate in response to allergens, and how their gene expression and metabolic requirements change over time and tissue location.

Increasingly, we are interested in understanding the clonal response of T and B cells in complex human diseases. At the Skin Immunology Research Centre, we are launching projects that will look at the quality of T and B cell responses in lesional skin biopsies from various diseases with the aim of uncovering putative antigens driving these complex diseases. We will lean on our expertise in flow cytometry, single cell RNA-Sequencing and delve into spatial RNA-Sequencing approaches to achieve these aims. We also aim to develop immunogenetic sequencing approaches to complement cellular assays that are typically run in the lab.

This project will require interdisciplinary approaches, which will be facilitated by the group’s strong international network of collaborators and an emphasis on teamwork.

Your job
We strive for someone that can implement big picture projects and work together with people of different backgrounds and with different skill sets. The applicant would be expected to perform sophisticated wet lab experiments, analyse complex datasets, conceptualise novel questions in the field of allergies and autoimmunity and develop new experimental approaches to probe B cell and T cell functions. Specific tasks would include but are not limited to:

Setting up RNA-Sequencing (bulk and single cell) pipelines in the lab – with the help of the core facility at the centre; Analysing RNA-Sequencing data using the latest pipelines and software; processing mouse/human skin tissues and analysis by multiparameter flow cytometry; data analysis and presentations at group, local and international meetings.

Profile
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic scientist with the following competencies and experience:

Essential experience and skills:

• You have a PhD in a field of medical sciences including immunology, molecular biology or genetics.
• You are highly experienced in flow cytometry, RNA-Sequencing, and have experience with mouse models of disease or human tissue sample preparation and analysis.
• You have an active interest in allergies, autoimmune diseases, fluorescence microscopy, antigen discovery, genetics of immune loci.
• Proficient communication skills and an ability to work in teams.
• Excellent English skills.

Desirable experience and skills:

• Experience in research communication, demonstrable by a track record of publications, oral/poster presentations, fellowships or grants awarded.
• Experience/knowledge of next generation sequencing and downstream data analysis.
• Experience in tissue sample analysis by flow cytometry and microscopy and/or RNA/DNA preparation, handling and downstream assays.
• Experience/knowledge in B and T cell receptor genetics, protein production and engineering. An interest or knowledge of antigen discovery platforms is also beneficial.    

Place of employment

The place of employment is at the LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen. We offer creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment. Our research facilities include modern laboratories on the 12th floor of the Mærsk Tower and access to state-of-the-art core facilities for flow cytometry, single cell sequencing, microscopy, animal facilities etc.

Terms of employment
The average weekly working hours are 37 hours per week.

The position is for one year and extendable thereafter on agreement. The starting date is 1 March 2023 or as soon as possible thereafter.

Salary, pension and other conditions of employment are set in accordance with the Agreement between the Ministry of Taxation and AC (Danish Confederation of Professional Associations) or other relevant organisation. Currently, the monthly salary starts at 37,600 DKK/approx. 5,000 EUR (October 2022 level). Depending on qualifications, a supplement may be negotiated. The employer will pay an additional 17.1 % to your pension fund.

Foreign and Danish applicants may be eligible for tax reductions, if they hold a PhD degree and have not lived in Denmark the last 10 years.

The position is covered by the Job Structure for Academic Staff at Universities 2020.

Questions
For further information please contact Jonathan Coquet; [email protected]  or www.sund.ku.dk

Foreign applicants may find this link useful: www.ism.ku.dk (International Staff Mobility).

Application procedure
Your online application must be submitted in English by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. Furthermore, your application must include the following documents/attachments – all in PDF format:

Deadline for applications: 13 December 2022, 23.59pm CET

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.

You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/

The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 242 of 13 March 2012 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.

Interviews are expected to be held in January.

The University of Copenhagen wish to reflect the diversity of society and encourage all qualified candidates to apply regardless of personal background.

Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.