Job Summary

In this project, you will perform innovative (bio)physics experiments to elucidate the dynamic action of individual ribosomes using optical tweezers, single-molecule fluorescence, and selective ribosome profiling. You will visualize real-time translation activity of ribosomes, how multiple ribosomes work together, detect the folding of individual polypeptide chains, and show how chaperones guide this process. The aim is to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms underlying the correct and erroneous production of new proteins.

Responsibilities

You will directly follow the dynamics of ribosome translation, protein folding, and assembly using optical tweezers combined with single-molecule fluorescence. This includes developing new experimental schemes, using cutting-edge single-molecule fluorescence and manipulation methods, adapting existing biochemical protocols, analyzing complex temporal data, formulating new models, and explaining findings in high-level scientific papers. You will also use selective ribosome profiling for high-level data across the genome in vivo, and collaborate with partners using ribosome profiling and cryo-EM techniques.

Qualifications and Requirements

We are looking for outstanding experimental physicists or chemists with an interest in single-molecule techniques, ambition to make breakthrough findings, programming skills to handle complex data, and who thrive in a diverse, collaborative, and supportive environment. Excellent verbal and written English skills are essential. Positions are for PhD and Postdoc levels.

What the Employer Offers

You will work in an international team at the Tans biophysics lab at AMOLF Amsterdam, part of a collaboration with leading groups at Heidelberg University and ETH Zurich. The position is a full-time appointment for four years with the Netherlands Foundation of Scientific Research Institutes (NWO-I). Funding is available for international conferences. AMOLF provides assistance with housing, visa applications, transport costs, and furnishing expenses. The work environment is informal, supportive, and housed in a modern building at Amsterdam Science Park.

AMOLF

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Postdoc: Revealing ribosome activity using single-molecule and RNA sequencing