Research Scientist, Postdoc or Engineer (m/f/d)

The Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB) in Martinsried is one of the world's leading research institutions in the fields of biochemistry, cell and structural biology and biomedical research. With approximately 30 scientific departments and research groups and about 750 employees, the MPIB is one of the largest institutes of the Max Planck Society.

Research scientist (m/f/d), postdoc (m/f/d) or engineer (m/f/d) in electron microscopy in the Department of Cell and Virus Structure/CryoEM Technology to work with Dr. John Briggs and Dr. Juergen Plitzko.

We are looking for a scientist or engineer with a strong technical background in transmission electron microscopy, who is interested in performing research in methods and technology for cryo-electron microscopy and tomography.

The Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry has a vibrant community of electron microscopists that develops and uses novel cryo-electron microscopy, tomography, and FIB-SEM methods and that works closely with industrial partners. The institute has a rich history of successful hardware and software development in this area and currently operates a large fleet of TFS electron microscopes including four Titan Krios, an Arctica, two Glacios, an Arctis plasma-FIB and two Aquilos FIB-SEMs. A subset of these microscopes are assigned to technology development and state-of-the-art applications and are managed by the research groups of John Briggs and Juergen Plitzko. These groups include staff with backgrounds including physics, materials sciences, electrical engineering, biochemistry and bioinformatics, providing many opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations as well as international cooperation.

In this position you will

• Perform scientific research aimed at developing, implementing and optimizing new and improved methods and workflows for cryo-electron tomography, microscopy and focussed-ion beam milling.
• Collaborate with other scientists and companies developing and testing new hardware and software for electron microscopy and associated equipment.
• Collaborate with and support other scientists to learn and apply new and improved cryo-electron tomography and related techniques to biological questions.
• Help to ensure the smooth operation of the electron microscopes used for research and development.

Your profile

The ideal candidate will have a scientific, engineering or technical background and will have several years of experience in high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, preferably cryo electron microscopy, including tomography. They will have a strong, demonstrated interest in the technical and methodological aspects of electron microscopy. We are looking for a colleague who enjoys independent research and at the same time is a community-minded and collaborative individual who wants to support other scientists to apply new or state-of-the-art methods. The working language is English. Excellent inter-personal skills are required.

Our offer

The salary level will be according to TVöD (Bund) (public salary scale). The initial appointment is for two years with the possibility for extension. The Max Planck Society strives for gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society has set itself the goal of employing more severely disabled people. Applications from severely disabled people are expressly encouraged.

For further information about the MPIB, please visit www.biochem.mpg.de. Informal enquiries can be directed to Dr. John Briggs (briggs@biochem.mpg.de).

Your application

Have we aroused your interest? Please submit your application documents (pdf-files) via our online application website by May 17, 2024. 

Please note: We kindly ask that you apply exclusively via our online application management. Applications by e-mail will not be considered for data protection reasons.