Postdoc / Senior Research associate in biophysical characterization of Immune cell activation (100%)

Teaching, research and practice - we connect

School of Life Sciences FHNW, Institute for Chemistry and Bioanalytics

Your tasks We are seeking a motivated and curious postdoctoral researcher or experienced research associate with a passion for quantitative data analysis in the fields of immunology, microscopy and biophysics. In this role, you will contribute to seminal work on the cellular and molecular characterization of receptor signaling heterogeneity of immune cells by applying biophysics to living cells. Building on our earlier findings that focal molography can be used to study immunological receptors on living cells, you will investigate immune cell activation. The project will combine focal molography, microscopy and immunological cell biology. This interdisciplinary position offers the rare opportunity to work closely with Lino Biotech, the developer of focal molography, and Miltenyi Biotec, in a collaboration supported by Innosuisse funding. 

• Develop and run cellular assays for immune cell activation on focal molography and fluorescence microscopy
• Develop and run assays using fluorescence microscopy investigating cellular heterogenity
• quantitative data analysis and modeling (Python) of interaction and time-lapse microscopy data, including data from the microscope and focal molography
• Adapt and transfer existing cell-based assays to clinically relevant primary human cells
• Supervision of Bachelor and Master students
• Contribute to project management

The position is fully funded for an initial period of 18 months, with the possibility of an extension. Your profile

• PhD in Biophysics, Cell Biology, Bioengineering or a related field
• Strong programming skills in Python (or R) for quantitative data analysis, in particular segmentation and analysis of microscopy images and time-lapse series 
• Strong expertise in (fluorescence/live-cell) microscopy and quantitative image analysis 
• Experience with immune cells 
• Hands-on experience with label-free biophysical/biosensing methods (e.g. BLI, SPR, or similar) is a plus
• Experience in protein biochemistry, cell culture and generation of reporter cell lines
• Team player, which enjoys working in interdisciplinary team
• Enjoys developing and implementing new approaches in a collaborative and open environment
• Fluency in English (oral and written)
• Knowledge of German would be beneficial 

The FHNW School of Life Sciences offers state-of-the-art technical, laboratory and office facilities. Contributing to the school’s highly motivating working environment – which is second to none – are its collaboration with a large number of companies and institutions in Switzerland and abroad, a widely varied programme of scientific events, and daily contact with young students in research and teaching. The FHNW is also committed to equal opportunities and the compatibility of private and professional life. Will you soon belong to our team? We look forward to your application.
www.fhnw.ch/en/about-fhnw/schools/lifesciences

Benefits

• Wide range of university sports
• Cultural programme of lectures, concerts, theatre and films
• Established implementation of equal pay
• Targeted promotion of doctoral projects
• Annual working time (42 hours/week) with the option of part-time and teleworking
• Mentoring programme for career development