Research Associate / PhD Student (m/f/x) with a Master's Degree - FWF Project (biophysics/immunology) 30h

University or higher education degree at master level

Become a part of our prestigious research at the FH Upper Austria as a research associate.

Your Tasks

You will be part of a young, interdisciplinary, and international team working on a fundamental research project in the field of classical complement activation. Your responsibilities will include independently conducting research, writing scientific publications and project reports, and contributing to the preparation of research proposals. You will also work on your doctoral dissertation. Participation in (international) conferences, a research stay in the lab of our Dutch collaboration partner is an integral part of your role, as is supervising the scientific theses of our Bachelor and Master students.

Project Description: The increasing antibiotic resistance among common pathogens underscores the need for alternative treatment methods, especially for bacterial infections. Antibody-based therapies are already being successfully used to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases, and there is growing interest in applying these methods to combat bacterial infections as well. The research project, led by J. Preiner (FH Upper Austria), particularly focusses on IgM antibodies and their superior ability to activate the human complement system, which provides effective machanisms for killing bacteria. Although the crucial role of IgM in human immunity against bacterial infections is widely recognized, and knowledge of the exact mechanisms behind its enhanced activity is essential for the future development of antibody therapies, IgM’s exact properties remain unclear. Within the project we will comprehensively characterize these mechanisms using a combination of several state-of-the-art biophysical methods, including high-speed atomic force microscopy, 3D single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, and quartz crystal microbalance.

Your Profile

You hold a master's degree in a field such as (bio)physics, biology, molecular biology, analytical chemistry/biochemistry, immunology or a related subject area. Ideally, you have experience in the fields of membrane biophysics, protein-protein interactions, antibody production and biological in vitro systems (cell culture, cell-based assays) as well as in basic biophysical techniques (atomic force microscopy, high-resolution microscopy, single-molecule techniques). In addition, you possess basic knowledge of data analysis and statistics using Matlab or other data analysis software. You have strong problem-solving skills and are able to work independently in a scientific environment. Good written and spoken English skills complete your profile. This position is limited to a period of three years.

About us

As the most research-intensive university of applied sciences in Austria, with nearly 5500 students in over 70 degree programs, we teach and research with a strong practical orientation and the highest quality.Thus, we have been providing top education for the next generation for more than 30 years and invest in the future of Upper Austria with great pleasure.

At the Linz Campus, we are enthusiastic about the topics of health, social affairs and medical technology and ensure the system-relevant resources of the future. Our university offers the ideal environment for forward-looking and innovative research projects. With an excellent order volume of about 40 million Euros, more than 500 projects are being carried out with a total of 630 partners from business and Society.

The FH Upper Austria stands for equal opportunities and diversity. With this in mind, we specifically invite all to apply. For this position, we offer a gross monthly salary (on a full-time basis, 14x per year) starting at EUR 3.700 to EUR 5.200 (depending on eligible prior service).