Young, modern, and research oriented... the University of Potsdam has firmly established itself within the scientific landscape since its founding in 1991. Nationally and internationally renowned scientists teach and perform research here at Brandenburg’s largest university. The University of Potsdam is successful in acquiring third-party funds, delivers outstanding performance in technology and knowledge transfer, and has a very service-oriented administration. With about 20,000 students studying at three campuses – Am Neuen Palais, Griebnitzsee and Golm – the University of Potsdam is a prominent economic factor and engine of development for the region. The University of Potsdam has a total of about 2,750 faculty and staff members and is located in one of Germany’s most scenic areas. The University of Potsdam, Faculty of Science, Department of Molecular Biology is seeking to fill subject to funding commitment the following position possibly by September 1^st 2018.

Postdoc position in Plant Synthetic Biology
with focus on genome editing

Requisition No.: 266/2018

The position is for 40 hours of work per week (100 %). The salary is determined by the collective bargaining agreement for public employees in Germany (TV-L 13 Ost). This is a temporary position limited to a term of 2 years in accordance with Section 2 subsection 1 of the Academic Fixed-Term Contract Law (WissZeitVG). The BMBF-funded ENTIRE (Enabling technologies for RNP-mediated genome editing) project aims at the development of novel strategies for the CRISPR/Cas-mediated editing of plant genomes through transgene-free ribonucleoprotein (RNP) delivery strategies. Special emphasis is put on the improvement of HDR (homology directed repair)-mediated knock-in events and on the development of an innovative high-throughput screening system for the identification of successfully edited cells. We are looking for an engaged researcher, preferably with previous Postdoc experience and strong expertise in plant molecular and/or synthetic biology. Practical knowledge in one or more of the following fields will be considered as an advantage:

• Plant protoplast preparation and transfection
• Protein purification
• FACS (fluorescence-activated cell sorting)
• CRISPR/Cas

Responsibilities

• Management and scientific implementation of the ENTIRE project
• Presentation of research data on meetings and conferences
• Identification of potential cooperation partners
• Support in the supervision of two PhD students who will also work on this project

Requirements
The applicants should hold a PhD degree in synthetic biology, plant biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology or a similar field. We are seeking a candidate with knowledge and experience in synthetic biology and molecular biology to perform wet-lab experiments and data analysis. The successful candidate will also have strong organisational skills, the ability to self-manage to meet deadlines, and supervisory experience. Excellent communication skills in English are mandatory. Offer
The University of Potsdam hosts leading groups in the field of plant molecular biology. The Department of Molecular Biology (headed by Prof. Dr. Bernd Mueller-Roeber) focuses on plant transcription factors involved in abiotic stress responses, the control of plant development by environmental stress, and synthetic biology. The Department has a close collaboration with the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology located at the nearby Science Campus Golm. Potsdam is an attractive historical city and its palaces are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Potsdam is located close to Berlin, a culturally vibrant city. Both cities have a high quality of life at modest living costs. Under the laws of the federal state of Brandenburg, employees under this contract are permitted to dedicate at least 33 % of their contract time for their scientific qualification. The University of Potsdam strives to maintain gender balance among its staff. Severely disabled applicants shall receive preference in case of equal qualifications. We expressly invite applications from people with migration backgrounds. How to apply
Please send your application as a single PDF document including: (1) a statement of your motivation to apply for the job, (2) a full CV, (3) the names and email addresses of at least two referees, (4) academic transcripts, (5) list of publications and oral presentations by July 27^th, 2018 to Dr. Fabian Machens at fmachens@uni-potsdam.de. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact us or check the department and project websites: Department of Molecular Biology:
http://www.uni-potsdam.de/ibb-molecularbiology/research-overview.html Prof. Dr. Bernd Müller-Röber
email: bmr@uni-potsdam.de
Dr. Fabian Machens
email: fmachens@uni-potsdam.de
Universität Potsdam
Institut für Biochemie und Biologie
Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, Haus 20
D-14476 Potsdam-Golm
Tel.: +49331 977 2807