At the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, one of the 86 institutes of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, physicists, chemists, and biologists create knowledge of long-term relevance to life and basic medical sciences. In addition, the institute is part of the Heidelberg Mannheim Health & Life Science Alliance – an association of the leading life science research institutions in the region.

The research group of Dr. Matthias Fischer at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Heidelberg, invites applications for postdoctoral positions to investigate the infection biology, ecology, and evolution of protist-specific viruses.

Postdoctoral Positions (m/f/div) in Protist Virology (Code number 16/2021)

The projects focus on giant DNA viruses and their smaller viral parasites called virophages, two diverse groups of viruses that infect single-celled eukaryotes (protists). In particular, we study the role of virophages in host defense against giant viruses, the genomic interaction between virophages and free-living flagellates, and the morphological and genomic diversity of giant viruses and virophages (Nature 2016, 540:288, eLife 2021, 10:e72674). Our methods include culturing and isolation of protists and viruses, experimental evolution, various techniques to monitor virus-host dynamics at population, cellular and molecular levels, as well as computational approaches for genome assembly and analysis.

Candidates should hold a doctoral degree with specialization in microbiology, virology, protistology, molecular biology, evolutionary biology, or bioinformatics. Applicants should have good English writing and communication skills and an appropriate productivity record as evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed international journals. Furthermore, candidates should be highly motivated, creative, and capable of critical and analytical thinking.

We offer state-of-the-art research facilities at the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, which is embedded in the rich biomedical and cultural environment of the scenic city of Heidelberg, Germany. Payment is based on the German public salary scale with fringe benefits (TVöD Bund). The positions are available immediately for a duration of two years (extension possible).

Your application:
The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals.

The Max Planck Society strives for gender and diversity equality. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply. A daycare center for children is located near the institute.

For further information, please visit https://www.mr.mpg.de/14071687/gruppefischer or contact Dr. Matthias Fischer (mfischer@mr.mpg.de).

For general questions, please contact Ms. Sabrina Giacalone (sabrina.giacalone@mr.mpg.de) from human resources.

Applications should include a cover letter detailing the candidate’s background and motivation, a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, copies of degree certificates, and contact details for at least two academic references. Please send your application via e-mail as a single PDF file with the above reference 16/2021 preferably until December 31^st, 2021 (excellent applications will be considered year-round) to jobs@vw.mpimf-heidelberg.mpg.de.

Max Planck Institute for Medical Research
C/O Human Resources
POB 10 38 20
69028 Heidelberg, Germany
Website: www.mr.mpg.de/en
E-Mail: jobs@vw.mpimf-heidelberg.mpg.de