Postdoctoral Researchers in Pediatric Cancer & Translational Control (f/m/d) - FWF Emerging Fields Consortium

St. Anna Children's Cancer Research Institute (CCRI); Wien; On-site; EUR 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

St. Anna CCRI in Vienna seeks a postdoctoral researcher to join one of six groups within the FWF Emerging Fields Consortium, studying ribosome biology and translational control in pediatric cancer biology and therapy resistance.

The role combines genomic, proteomic, biochemical and structural approaches to decode translation regulation and identify novel therapeutic vulnerabilities in solid and hematological pediatric cancers, contributing to safer treatments for children and adolescents.

Qualifications

• PhD in molecular biology, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular medicine, genomics, bioinformatics, structural biology or related field.
• Strong scientific record appropriate for career stage.
• Research experience relevant to participating groups.
• Strong interest in interdisciplinary, collaborative research.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Responsibilities

• Map translational landscape in pediatric cancer models using high-resolution Ribo-seq.
• Investigate molecular mechanisms via unbiased genetic screens.
• Collaborate across six groups within the Emerging Fields Consortium.
• Contribute to project design, data interpretation and dissemination.

Skills

Translational biology

Genomics

Proteomics

RNA biology

Structural biology

Crisis management

Education

PhD in life sciences

Job description

Join us in decoding a new layer of pediatric cancer biology!

Our FWF Emerging Fields Consortium brings together six complementary research groups across leading biomedical research institutions in Vienna to investigate ribosome biology and translational control as a new and largely unexplored layer of pediatric cancer biology and therapy resistance.

By combining cutting-edge genomic, proteomic, biochemical and structural approaches, we aim to decode cancer-specific mechanisms of translational regulation, the \"ribosome code\", and identify novel therapeutic vulnerabilities that could contribute to safer and more effective treatments for children and adolescents with solid and hematological cancers.

As a postdoctoral researcher, you will join one of the participating research groups while being part of a multidisciplinary consortium bringing together complementary expertise in pediatric cancer, translational regulation, RNA biology, functional genomics, proteomics and structural biology.

Find more information here: Emerging Fields - FWF

Participating Research Groups

Elif Karagöz - Max Perutz Labs / Medical University of Vienna

Research focus: Mechanisms of translational regulation during cellular stress.

The Karagöz lab combines quantitative biochemistry with genome-wide approaches, including CLIP-seq, RNA-seq and Ribo-seq, to dissect mechanisms of translational regulation.

The postdoctoral researcher will map the translational landscape in pediatric cancer models using high-resolution Ribo-seq and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms through unbiased genetic screens

Eleni Tomazou - St. Anna CCRI / Medical University of Vienna

Research focus: Fusion driven pediatric sarcomas.

The Tomazou lab investigates the biology of fusion-driven pediatric sarcomas and has contributed novel concepts to the understanding of Ewing sarcoma. The group combines sequencing and STED super-resolution microscopy with pediatric sarcoma models, including patient material.

Jason Sims, Staff Scientist in the Tomazou group, contributes additional expertise in Nanopore sequencing, ribosomal DNA structure and transcriptional control, and ribosomal RNA variants.

Sebastian Falk - Max Perutz Labs / University of Vienna

Research focus: Mechanistic aspects of RNA metabolism.

The Falk lab investigates nuclear RNA degradation and pre-rRNA processing by the RNA exosome. The group combines biochemical reconstitution with structural analysis of macromolecular machines, including cryo-EM and structural modelling, to investigate ribosome biogenesis intermediates and mature cytoplasmic ribosomes.

Research focus: Molecular mechanisms of pediatric cancer oncoproteins.

The postdoctoral project will investigate how changes in translation and translation-associated processes affect cancer cell responses to drug treatment and the development of drug resistance, with the aim of identifying novel therapeutic strategies.

The Grebien lab brings expertise in molecular mechanisms of leukemia, acute protein degradation, CRISPR screening, affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry, super-resolution microscopy and live-cell imaging.

Marco Hein - Max Perutz Labs / Medical University of Vienna

Research focus: Systems biology, proteomics and functional genomics.

The Hein lab develops mass spectrometry-based proteomics approaches to quantitatively characterize the composition and dynamics of subcellular compartments and investigate proteome remodelling upon perturbation. The group also combines CRISPR-based genetic perturbations with single-cell transcriptomics for high-throughput functional validation of screening hits.

Davide Seruggia - St. Anna CCRI / CeMM

Research focus: Chromatin biology, epigenetics and leukemia.

The Seruggia lab uses multiple CRISPR screening approaches - including conventional knockout, base editing and prime editing - to investigate epigenetic determinants of leukemia. The group combines expertise in chromatin biology and epigenetics, functional genomics, hematology and mouse models of leukemia.

Your Profile

What you bring for this position:

• a PhD in molecular biology, cancer biology, biochemistry, molecular medicine, genomics, bioinformatics, structural biology or a related field


• a strong scientific track record appropriate to your career stage


• research experience relevant to at least one of the participating groups


• a strong interest in interdisciplinary and collaborative research


• the ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative research environment


• excellent written and spoken English

Our Offer

• the opportunity to contribute to an ambitious FWF-funded Emerging Fields research program addressing fundamental questions in translation regulation and pediatric cancer biology


• access to complementary scientific expertise across six participating research groups


• an interdisciplinary research environment spanning pediatric cancer, RNA and ribosome biology, genomics, proteomics, structural biology and functional genomics


• access to state-of-the-art research approaches and technologies


• an international scientific environment in Vienna, one of Europe's major biomedical research hubs

Employment conditions, benefits and institutional services may vary depending on the host institution and will be communicated transparently during the respective recruitment process.

Your Application

We are looking forward to your application! Applications should contain a one-page research statement outlining your scientific interests, how they connect to the aims of the Emerging Fields Consortium, and the research questions you would be particularly interested in pursuing.

Furthermore, it should include the following documents:

• Indication of the two research groups you are most interested in joining


• CV


• Contact details of two academic referees


• List of publications

The application deadline is the 15.11.2026.

Your Recruitment Process

Applications are collected centrally on behalf of the participating research groups to provide candidates with one straightforward application process. Following the central application stage, recruitment and selection will be conducted by the respective host institution in accordance with its applicable recruitment procedures and policies. Candidates will be considered for the research groups indicated in their application.

We are committed to an inclusive and equitable recruitment process and welcome applications from qualified candidates regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, ethnicity, religion or belief, or other personal characteristics.