a joint, multi-disciplinary approach, the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena together with the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz HKI) – have launched the SynThera initiative (www.synthera.eu) funded by the Carl Zeiss Foundation, which aims to design, create, and deploy synthetic microorganisms to selectively detect and destroy bacterial and fungal pathogens. We are currently recruiting highly talented and motivated Postdocs and/or PhD students in the following areas of research:

  1. Synthetic biology and high throughput screening

  2. Infection biology and systems biology

  3. Metagenomics and ecological modelling

  4. Structural biology and natural product chemistry

The SynThera mission: The antibiotic crisis constitutes a significant threat to modern medicine and a main challenge for public health on Earth. Addressing this crisis requires innovative approaches that go beyond traditional antibiotic development, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. By harnessing the power of synthetic biology, the SynThera project aims to close this gap by developing therapeutic microorganisms that are suitable to target multi-drug resistant pathogens at their site of infection, as well as to individualize and improve existing prophylactic treatment strategies. Thus, SynThera holds the potential to transform antimicrobial therapies by offering tailored solutions to combat multi-drug resistant pathogens.

What you can expect:

  • A highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research team including 11 PIs

  • An integrated, translational research strategy including fundamental and applied approaches 

  • You will design and employ therapeutic microorganisms to target and inhibit major human pathogens

  • You will create, process, analyze and interpret the research data, prepare reports, and scientific publications

  • You will take part and present your work in scientific discussions and at national and international meetings

Your profile:

  • MSc (for PhD positions) or PhD (for postdoc positions) in any of the above mentioned research topics, or a related field.

  • Previous experience in molecular biology, bioinformatics, or natural product chemistry would be desirable

  • Ability to work independently and as part of an international team

  • A strong desire to do research, enthusiastic, creative, and highly self-motivated

  • Excellent English communication skills (written and spoken)

What we offer:

  • A dynamic, innovative, interdisciplinary, diverse and highly motivated working group

  • An outstanding scientific environment of the Beutenberg Campus providing state-of-art research facilities and a highly integrative network of life science and technical science institutes and groups

  • Excellent technical facilities and a broad spectrum of state-of-the art methodologies

  • Strong scientific collaborations with academic and industrial partners

  • Possibilities to realize own innovative ideas and develop new projects  

  • For PhD students: registration as a graduate student at Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena

  • For PhD and Postdocs; benefits from the extended graduate and postgraduate training of the Jena Graduate Academy and the Jena School of Microbial Communication

  • A salary according to German TV-L.

The FSU Jena and the HKI are equal opportunity employer.

Further Information:

Prof. Miriam Agler-Rosenbaum & Prof. Kai Papenfort | career@leibniz-hki.de

www.synthera.eu

Application:

Leibniz-HKI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. It aims to increase the proportion of underrepresented groups in case of equal suitability. All qualified persons, regardless of color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other classification protected by law will receive consideration for employment.

Complete applications in English should include a cover letter, a CV containing a complete list of publications, a brief statement of research experiences, the addresses of two possible referees, and should be submitted via the Leibniz-HKI online application system. The deadline for the advertisement is February 28, 2025, but applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.