Post-doctoral positions in novel ultrafast spectroscopy methods for photosynthesis and bioenergetics (# of pos: 2)

ICFO is offering 2 postdoctoral positions to well-qualified, highly motivated and dynamic young scientists who wish to enhance their scientific career in a friendly and stimulating environment.

The successful candidates will be joining the Photon Harvesting in Plants and Biomolecules group led by Prof. Dr. Nicoletta Liguori.

Our group combines state-of-the-art methods in experimental ultrafast spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations:

• We develop and apply novel ultrafast spectroscopic methods aimed at uncovering how changes in light, environment and structure switch the function of photoactive systems on and off.
• We obtain structural information of the different steps of such molecular switches by developing and applying molecular dynamics simulations approaches at different levels of temporal and spatial resolution.

The two postdoctoral researchers will be involved, respectively, in:

• Position 1. Applying a novel ultrafast multipulse spectroscopic method recently developed by the group to study how photosynthetic organisms activate photoprotection in real time, in order to survive under natural fluctuating sunlight conditions. The candidate will further extend this novel method to study the activation of photoprotection from a few femtoseconds up to above the second, and from isolated proteins (in vitro) up to in vivo conditions.
• Position 2. Developing the next generation of our novel ultrafast multipulse spectroscopic approaches that will allow - for the first time - to uncover how and how fast changes in: i) temperature or ii) the availability of substrates, regulate the activation of photoactive systems involved in plant and animal bioenergetic processes.

Both positions are focused on experimental, spectroscopic work. However, the successful candidates will extensively collaborate with the other group members involved in exploring the same processes via molecular dynamics simulations. If wished, there is the possibility (but is not necessary) for both candidates to also actively join the computational work.

The PI has received funding from multiple prestigious, national grants from the Netherlands and Spain to develop the project and the successful candidates will be embedded in a large network of international collaborations (NL, ES, IT, PT, UK, DE). The successful candidates will receive full support and help from the group leader in applying for independent funding if wished (positions are however already fully funded up to 3 years each). Amongst other things, both successful candidates will be extensively involved in writing scientific publications, supervising students and in dissemination at national and international conferences and visits and collaborations with laboratories across the world.