PhD position in the Development and evolution of artificial metalloenzymes based on earth-abundant...

The laboratory of artificial metalloenzymes at the University of Basel (Switzerland) is a World-leading team in biomimetic catalysis. Such hybrid catalysts result from the incorporation of an earth-abundant organometallic cofactor within a protein scaffold. The resulting artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) catalyze a variety of new-to-Nature reactions. Within the MetRaZymes project, a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network, it is proposed to engineer and evolve ArMs to functionalize inert C-H bonds via radical mechanisms. To achieve this ambitious goal, the selected candidate will collaborate with leading groups throughout Europe both from academia and industry. The MSCA MetRaZyme doctoral network aims at training the next generation of researchers in the field of biocatalysis proceeding via radical mechanisms.

The selected candidate will develop interdisciplinary skills including

Organic synthesis, purification and characterization
Organometallic aqueous chemistry
Recombinant protein expression and purification
Directed evolution
High throughput screening

Requirements

Master’s degree in chemistry or biochemistry
Multidisciplinary skills (spectroscopy, biochemistry, informatics etc.)
Good communication skills in English
Ability to work independently in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment
Ability to prioritize work and organize it within a structured schedule
Care for the detail
Intellectual independence

Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship requirements

At the time of recruitment at the University of Basel, candidates must not have resided or carried out their main activity (studies or work) in Switzerland for more that 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. The PhD student recruited at the University of Basel will complete his PhD thesis in the framework of the MSCA Doctoral Network project MetRaZymes and be fully integrated in the project. However, since this position is financed by the Swiss government, he/she will not be considered an official MSCA PhD fellow by the EU.

We offer

Full time 3 year contract. Competitive salary and mobility allowance (SFr 56’000.-/year gross salary). Extensive training opportunities. Envisaged starting date: March 1, 2023.

Stimulating, highly interdisciplinary research and high quality scientific environment.

For more details about this position, please refer to https://ward.chemie.unibas.ch/ as well as https://twitter.com/MetRaZymes

Applicants should prepare the following documents i) a motivation letter, ii) a CV, iii) full academic records, iv) the contact details of two reference persons.

Please submit your dossier by email (ref. MetRaZymes_Ward) as a single pdf file to [email protected] and [email protected] before November 30 2022.

The University of Basel is located in the heart of Basel, one of the Europe’s most active research hubs in Life Sciences. The department of chemistry consists of fifteen research groups with over 120 graduate students and 50 postdoctoral fellows, integrated in a state-of-the art infrastructure. Multiple opportunities for collaborations exist, thanks to the propitious environment provided by Life Science industries and academic laboratories (including the Biozentrum, the D-BSSE, the FMI, the national center of competence “Molecular Systems Engineering” etc.)