Molecular Biologist for the Genetic Perturbation Platform

Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research (CBMR)
Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
University of Copenhagen

We are seeking a Staff Scientist with a background in molecular biology to strengthen our abilities to perform genetic perturbation studies. The position represents an exciting opportunity for ambitious scientists with interests in helping to perform genetic perturbation screens in the frontiers of cardiometabolic research.

The successful candidate will help establish a Genetic Perturbation Platform and will daily work with researchers from across CBMR and beyond to conduct cutting-edge genetic perturbation screens, using the state-of-the-art protocols and equipment. The start date is February 1, 2024, or after agreement.

About CBMR
Our researchers share a common purpose as they seek to transform the basic understanding of the mechanisms involved in cardiometabolic health and disease, and to accelerate this knowledge towards new prevention and treatment strategies.

The Center has around 260 employees, consisting of 21 research groups and 6 enabling biology and technology platforms, who work in a vibrant international research environment with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Center’s research has resulted in seminal discoveries as to how genes, hormones, and environmental factors influence metabolic health and disease throughout life. You may read more about us at www.cbmr.ku.dk. 

About the Single-Cell Omics Platform
The new Genetic Perturbation Platform will be working very closely with the well-established Single-Cell Omics Platform. The Single-Cell Omics Platform is an integral part of the Center and is embedded tightly into the Danish single-cell community. The team has solid expertise in working with single-cell data, and currently comprises Laboratory Technicians, Bioinformaticians, Mathematicians and a Platform Manager.

Staff Scientists from the Single-Cell Omics Platform regularly contribute to research projects which has resulted in numerus publications. Please find the lates publications here.

About the Genetic Perturbation Platform
The Genetic Perturbation Platform is currently being established at CBMR. The new platform is being designed to provide state-of-the-art genome engineering techniques to establish and validate the etiologic importance of specific genetic variants, genomic elements, and genes across relevant in vitro and in vivo model systems.

The role
As a Staff Scientist in the Genetic Perturbation Platform, you will be responsible for advising research groups and performing experiments related to cell culture experiments, design, and delivery of guide RNAs, genetic perturbation screens, and quality control evaluations.

The primary tasks will be to:

• Provide expert guidance to research groups.
• Perform cell culture work.
• Perform quality control analyses.
• Design genetic perturbation screens.
• Ideate and develop new genetic perturbation screens.
• Train researchers performing genetic perturbation screens.
• Interact with the Single-Cell Omics Platform with respect to reading out relevant phenotypes from the screens.

Your profile
Required education/skills

• A master’s degree in molecular biology, biology, biotechnology, or related field
• A minimum of 2-3 years hands-on experience in performing lab work
• Experience in virus handling, conducting viral assays and familiarity in optimizing viral vector constructs
• Demonstrated expertise in cell culture techniques related to maintaining, passaging, subculturing, and monitoring cell cultures
• Proficiency in developing and implementing new molecular techniques
• Ideally, experience in performing genetic perturbation screens
• Ideally, experience with CRISPR/Cas9 protocols

Personal skills

• Motivated and hardworking personality with good social skills
• Motivated to train and advice scientists with diverse molecular biology backgrounds
• Fluent in written and spoken English is an absolute requirement

Additional ideal skills include

• Experience in working with single cell data
• Experience in working with microscopy readouts

We offer

• Creative and stimulating working conditions in a dynamic and international research environment.
• Highly motivated colleagues and the possibility to contribute to and co-author cutting-edge scientific publications
• Attractive employment conditions
• A centrally located workplace.

Place of employment 
The place of employment is the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

Terms of salary and employment 
The employment as a Staff Scientist is a 3-year full-time position starting February 1st, 2024, or after agreement.

Employment will be as Academic Research Officer or Research Consultant in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreement between the Danish ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations), with the possibility to negotiate a salary supplement based on prior experiences and qualifications.

Questions
For further questions about the job description and qualifications, please contact Associate Professor Tune H Pers at tune.pers@sund.ku.dk or Single-Cell Omics Platform manager Mie Mechta at mie.mechta@sund.ku.dk. For questions regarding the recruitment procedure, please contact SUND HR CBMR at SUND-HR-CBMR@sund.ku.dk.

Application procedure
Your application, in English, should include:

• A letter of motivation
• Curriculum Vitae
• Copies of relevant certificates of education

Please submit your application by clicking on “Apply now” below. Only online applications will be accepted.

Application deadline: January 2, 2024, at 23:59 CET.

We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider application that to not live up to the abovementioned requirements.

The University of Copenhagen wishes to reflect the diversity of society and welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.