PostDoc on time-resolved SAXS studies of protein and soft matter

The postdoctoral position is opened in collaboration between the beamline CoSAXS, MAX IV, and the Biological Soft Matter group at the Division of Physical Chemistry at Lund University.

The workplace
CoSAXS is a state of the art SAXS/WAXS beamline on the 3 GeV ring at MAX IV. We offer a suite of sample environments to cater to our broad user community whose research lies in the fields of Soft Matter and Life Science.
The Biological Soft Matter group at the Division of Physical Chemistry headed by Assoc. Prof. Felix Roosen-Runge is focused on a mechanistic understanding of phase behavior and assembly processes in protein systems. The research group has broad expertise and a strong track record with advanced scattering techniques at synchrotron and neutron facilities, such as MAX IV and ESS in Lund, and aims for an integrative approach combining scattering with complementary lab techniques and modelling.

We are looking for a postdoctoral candidate for time-resolved SAXS/WAXS on protein and soft matter systems. This is a 3-year position. 

Protein solutions can undergo phase separation, aggregation and nucleation, all of which are kinetic processes coupled with a clear structural signature. In this project, we aim to develop and perform SAXS/WAXS characterization of protein systems on millisecond time scales, exploiting the available laser pump-probe and stopped-flow equipment at CoSAXS. We foresee both globular proteins and intrinsically disordered proteins as systems, and intend to bridge soft matter concepts to the very active topic of protein liquid-liquid phase separation in life science.

You will work for the CoSAXS team and beamline 50 % of the time. You will contribute to the development at MAX IV during experiments and regular meetings discussing the progress and practical implementation of the time-resolved SAXS methodology, including software development. Besides running the project-related state-of-the-art experiments, you will participate and support additional time-resolved experiments at CoSAXS, which allows you to build a strong network and to familarise yourself with, as well as to learn to, transfer knowledge between different experimental systems.

Your research will be carried out at the Division of Physical Chemistry. This will provide you with access to good lab infrastructure for pre-characterization of protein systems and the possibility to embed into a strong and active scientific environment with many PhD students and postdocs in a collegial atmosphere. You will have the opportunities to learn several relevant standard and advanced characterization techniques for protein systems as well as obtain insights into relevant coarse-grained modeling and simulation.

Your main work tasks will be

• Conduct your research project exploiting time-resolved SAXS/WAXS on protein systems, that will lead to scientific publications and collaborations, and foster your career as a postdoctoral researcher
• Support user experiments on time-resolved scattering to widen your experience and build a strong scientific network
• Participate in the operation and further development of CoSAXS, regarding time-resolved experimental protocols and related data analysis flows based on your work in your research project.
  
  

To be successful in this role you need to have the following qualifications

• PhD degree in physics, chemistry, materials science, or another relevant subject
• Documented expertise in SAXS/WAXS
• Documented expertise in data analysis using scripting (ideally python-based)
• Experience carrying out SAXS/WAXS experiments at large scale facilities
• Working experience with soft matter and/or protein systems including sample preparation for SAXS measurements
• Ability to work independently and take initiatives
• Strong social and communication skills
• Good command of written and spoken English.
  
  

Below are seen as merits

• Experience with time-resolved measurements and related data analysis
• Hands-on experience using in situ sample environments such as stopped-flow, laser pump-probe of microfluidic mixing
• Skills in programming
• Experience writing beamtime proposals
• Previous work experience at a research facility.
  
  

As a person you are a team player, valuing supporting others in their work. You should have an interest in the science being carried out at CoSAXS.

Eligibility
Appointment to the position of postdoc requires that the applicant has a PhD or an international degree deemed equivalent to a PhD, within the subject of the position, completed no more than three years before the application deadline. Under special circumstances the PhD can have been completed previous to the aforementioned three years.

Further information
This is a full-time, fixed-term employment. A postdoctoral fellow is employed under a period
of at least two years and at most three years. The period of employment is determined in accordance with the agreement “Avtal om tidsbegränsad anställning som postdoktor-2022-02-01” (“Agreement on fixed-term employment as a post-doctoral fellow, 2022-02-01”) 

What we offer
We aim for an interactive and team-based research program, in which each member is encouraged to actively contribute with ideas and competence to a common scientific progress. You will have the opportunity to participate in national and international workshops and conferences - not only to present and disseminate the research, but also to strengthen your personal network with other researchers and collaborators.

We aim for you to grow as an active and independent researcher at the interdisciplinary boundary between biological and soft matter, and synchrotron science.

Would you like to work in a challenging and supporting environment? Then join us and take the opportunity to make a real difference!

For further information, please visit:
https://www.lunduniversity.lu.se/about-lund-university/work-lund-university
www.sweden.se
https://www.maxiv.lu.se/about-us/careers/compensation-benefits/


The Division of Physical Chemistry at Lund University is a strong interdisciplinary research environment integrating research on soft matter, life science and food science. The division offers a broad instrument suite including optical spectroscopy, microscopy, calorimetry, NMR, rheology, light scattering, and a laboratory SAXS instrument.