Location: Heidelberg, Germany
Staff Category: Postdoctoral Fellow
Contract Duration: 2 years
Grading: N/A
Closing Date: 7 February 2011
Reference number: HD_00048

Link: http://www.embl.de/aboutus/jobs/searchjobs/index.php?newlang=1&newms=sr&searchregion=641

Job Description
The European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) is one of the highest ranked scientific research organizations in the world. The Headquarters Laboratory is located in Heidelberg (Germany) and the outstations are in Grenoble (France), Hamburg (Germany), Hinxton (UK) and Monterotondo (Italy).

Applications are invited for a post-doc position in the group of Biomolecular NMR Spectroscopy in the Structural and Computational Biology Unit at the EMBL in Heidelberg, in collaboration with the theoretical physics group at the Institute of Nanotechnology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.
The aim of the research is to develop a new approach to describe the binding mode of organic ligands to macromolecular receptors without the use of crystallographic data. The methodology is based on a novel, high-throughput template free modeling strategy guided by NMR data. The approach aims at determining the shape of receptors binding pockets using NMR data of the ligands as reporters. A significant amount of research will consist of code development, in magnitude and type comparable to that of modern computational solid state physics or quantum chemistry codes.

The NMR facility at the EMBL features a 800 MHz and a 600 MHz spectrometer, both equipped with cryoprobes. In the Structural and Computational Biology Unit a broad range of techniques, such as X-ray crystallography, single particle electron microscopy, EM tomography, single molecule light microscopy and molecular modeling, are used to describe biological systems at various levels of spatial and temporal resolution. Excellent resources (2000 core cluster) and extensive expertise are available in the area of computation.
Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should hold a Ph.D degree and should have received outstanding training in mathematics, physics or theoretical chemistry. Good programming skills are required. Strong motivation and excellent scientific skills are essential, as well as willingness to work in a team. Desire to work in a multicultural and interdisciplinary environment is essential.

Application Instructions
Please apply online through www.embl.org/jobs
Additional Information
EMBL is an inclusive, equal opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation.

Please note that appointments on fixed term contracts can be renewed, depending on circumstances at the time of the review.