Postdoctoral Position
Villigen, Switzerland
Application deadline: 06 Feb 2014
The
Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) is the largest national research institute in Switzerland and operates, among other large-scale facilities, the Swiss Light Source (SLS), one of the most advanced synchrotron radiation sources worldwide. The Macromolecular Crystallography (MX) group at the SLS (http://www.psi.ch/macromolecular-crystallography/), operating two high-performance undulator beamlines as well as a state-of-the-art superbend magnet beamline, is involved in the development of advanced beamline instrumentation and crystallographic methods, as well as structural biology projects in collaboration with the Laboratory of Biomolecular Research at PSI and external partners.
Global Phasing Ltd. (GPhL) is a UK company engaged in scientific research, developments and software implementations aimed at and capable of bringing about improvements in the current methods of MX as applied within the contexts of structural biology and of structure-based drug discovery in the pharmaceutical industry.
SLS and GPhL have entered into a Collaboration Agreement to carry out a joint research project aimed at designing, validating and deploying new and advanced capabilities in the collection and analysis of MX diffraction data that will fully exploit the potential of the PRIGo multi-axis goniometer (in use at SLS PXIII beamline) and of wavelength-interleaving techniques used in combination with Pilatus-type single-photon counting detectors. In order to extend their hitherto informal collaborative links, the two groups are co-funding a position, for an initial period of two years, for a
Your tasks
Your work will be based at the SLS and will aim at improving current MX data quality, with an emphasis on experimental MAD and SAD phasing but also including the measurement of native data. You will be involved in the design and validation of innovative integrated protocols comprising sophisticated data collection schemes along with adapted processing methods, as well as in their integration into the beamline user interfaces. You will apply those protocols to challenging crystallographic projects via internal and external collaborations. Your activities will include a measure of user support at the SLS MX beamlines and regular visits to GPhL in the UK.
Your Profile
You hold a PhD degree in biology, chemistry or physics, and have substantial experience in protein crystallography. Working knowledge of data processing programs (especially XDS) and of phasing and refinement software is a must. Experience in computer programming would be a significant advantage. If you are a good team player with fine communication skills and a strong sense of responsibility, this position will offer you a great opportunity to develop your research career in a stimulating and highly multi-disciplinary environment
We are looking forward to receiving your application.
For further information please contact Dr. Vincent Olieric, Tel. +41 56 310 52 33,
e-mail vincent.olieric@psi.chor Dr. Gérard Bricogne, Tel. +44 1223 353033, e-mail gb10@globalphasing.com
Please send your application to: Paul Scherrer Institut, Human Resources, Mrs. Elke Baumann, ref. code 6112-04, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland.
Further job opportunities: www.psi.ch
