Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS Warsaw, Poland Reaserch Group No 15 - Dioscuri Centre for Physics and Chemistry of Bacteria
Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange (NAWA)
Project title, type and project number
Polskie Powroty 2019 NAWA PPN/PPO/2019/1/ 00030, 59/2024
Project leader
Dr Bartłomiej Wacław
Description
Bacteria are ubiquitous microscopic, single-celled organisms. Many bacteria live on and inside animals and humans, but very few cause diseases. Bacterial infections are usually treated with antibiotics, but resistance to antibiotics is becoming a major challenge. To prevent resistance from emerging and find alternative ways of combatting infections, we must understand population dynamics of bacteria during an infection: how they invade host cells, how resistant mutations arise and spread, and how intracellular bacteria respond to antibiotics. This requires a concentrated interdisciplinary effort. In this project we take a physics-inspired approach and address these questions through a combination of laboratory experiments and mathematical modelling. We develop experimental model systems of bacterial infections together with advanced imaging methods to investigate the population dynamics of bacterial invasion. Mathematical models are used to interpret and direct experiments. The project fills an important gap between in vitro and animal models of infections. It enables quantitative research of bacterial ecology and evolution in an environment closer to the environment of the host than previous works, explore fascinating non-equilibrium physics of intracellular bacterial colonies, and the structure of within-host fitness landscapes.
Number of vacancies
1
Key responsibilities include
Main responsibilities:
1. Planning and execution of specific elements of the research program under the guidance of the supervisor. This may involve but is not restricted to: developing algorithms for segmenting 2d and 3d images of intracellular bacterial colonies, obtaining abundances of different types bacteria from fluorescent images of biofilms, developing algorithms for tracking bacteria and animal cells in microscopic images, comparing experimental results with mathematical models of bacterial and cellular populations.
2. Communicating research results to team members and collaborators at IPC and other institutions through talks and discussions, as well as learning about others’ research through seminars and journal clubs.
4. Writing reports and scientific papers.
5. Attending and presenting at workshops and conferences.
6. Keeping up-to-date with relevant scientific developments through literature review.
Position in the project
Postdoctoral researcher in biological physics
Job type
• Type of contract: temporary • Status: full-time employment • Hours Per Week: 40
Salary
Gross salary: 13 000 – 16 000 PLN/month
Position starts on
25.11.2024
Maximum planned period of contract/stipend agreement
Around 6 months, i.e. until 30.05.2025
We offer
We offer a full-time employment position in the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS with a gross salary between 13 000-16 000 PLN per month financed from the NAWA POLSKIE POWROTY 2019 Project No. PPN/PPO/2019/1/ 00030.
Career development prospects at IPC PAS
The successful candidate will benefit from working in an international, interdisciplinary research group, a modern well equipped wet lab, office space, and access to computational/storage servers. The candidate will work closely with experimentalists and theorists from the Dioscuri Centre. The candidate will have the opportunity to visit collaborating research groups and to participate in international workshops and conferences.
Institute provides an opportunity to participate in ERASMUS+ programme.
Link to Euraxess website
see websiteMore details
see websiteScientific discipline
PhD in physics, chemistry, biology, computer science, or a related discipline, held or to be obtained before the job start date
Scientific profile of a candidate
Recognised Researcher (R2)
Requirements
Essential
• PhD in physics or physical chemistry, held or to be obtained before the job start date.
• Experience in image analysis and/or computer models of populations of bacteria or cells
• Very good programming skills in either Python, C++, Matlab, or Wolfram Mathematica
• Very good academic achievements as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications and talks/poster presentations at international conferences.
• Ability to draft (in English) scientific papers for academic journals.
• Ability to communicate (in English) complex information clearly, orally and in writing.
• Ability to think creatively, propose and develop new ideas.
• Capability of working without close supervision, exercising a high degree of initiative and demonstrating a pro-active approach to work.
Desirable
• Experience with Machine Learning applied to image analysis
• GitHub, Jupyter, Linux
• Ability to organise work so as to perform multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to maintain a well-organised digital repository of software and data.
• Potential for career advancement as an independent researcher.
Candidates who possess these additional skills will be prioritized.
Key assessment criteria
The selection panel will take into account the following criteria:
a) competencies of candidates for specific tasks in a research project,
b) previous scientific achievements of candidates,
c) awards and distinctions of the candidate resulting from the conducted research.
• motivation letter
• professional curriculum vitae
• list of publications
• two letters of reference emailed by the candidate or their supporters to rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl (“Rekrutacja nr 59/2024” in the subject line)
All documents (including the reference letters) should be emailed to rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl quoting “Rekrutacja nr 59/2024” in the subject line. Emails without the recruitment number will not be considered.
Short-listed candidates may be invited for an in-person interview or a conference call (Zoom or Skype) on 04-05.11.2024. Good command of English is required. We reserve the right to contact and reply only selected candidates.
The panel evaluates applications incl. the performance at the interview on a scale 0-5. Candidates are ranked based on the number of points received, and the position is offered to the highest-ranking candidate.
Employment will take place in accordance with the provisions of the competition documentation of the NAWA POLSKIE POWROTY 2019 https://nawa.gov.pl/naukowcy/polskie-powroty/poprzednie-nabory/nabor-zakonczony-2019/ogloszenie and the Employment policy of the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS https://ichf.edu.pl/files/csr/ipc-procedures.pdf .
• The incomplete applications will not be considered.
• The results of the competition are made public.
• Candidates who have been rejected have the right to appeal. The appeal shall be lodged with the Director of the Institute within 7 days from the date of receipt of the rejection email. The decision of the Director of the Institute is final.
• If the highest-ranking candidate declines the offer, we reserve the right to choose the next candidate from the ranking list.
About the Dioscuri Centre
The Centre’s main objective is to better understand bacterial growth and evolution in the natural environment of pathogenic bacteria: the interior of an animal cell and animal secretions. The members of the Centre use experimental in vitro models of infections, computer simulations and mathematical theory to create data driven, quantitative models of bacterial growth and evolution in these environments. Research performed in the Centre will contribute towards the understanding of bacterial infections and the evolution of antimicrobial resistance in animal and human hosts. The Centre collaborates with research institutions in Germany, the UK and the US. from NAWA.
For more details about the position please visit: https://dioscuricentrebacteria.com/jobs/
Phone: +48 22 343 21 70
Application deadline
31.10.2024 12:00
Deadline for the settlement of the competition
13.11.2024
Send the application via the "Apply to the position" button, or to rekrutacja@ichf.edu.pl with the title 59/2024.
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