Procedure no. DSMBBC/2027/09: Identification, characterization and optimisation of novel, cold-adapted metalloenzymes from Antarctic microorganisms

Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics Polish Academy of Sciences; Poland; On-site; PLN 48,000 - 72,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Room in institute hotel for first 3 mo

Medical plan

Research mini-grants

Conference grants

Public transport/parking

Job summary

The Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics Polish Academy of Sciences invites applications for a First Stage Researcher (R1) PhD position. The project focuses on bioprospecting Antarctic microorganisms, metalloenzymes, and enzyme engineering with international collaboration.

Requirements include a Master’s degree in exact or natural sciences, laboratory/microbial experience, and excellent English. Education starts March 1, 2027, in Poland.

Qualifications

• Some laboratory experience in working with microbes and performing biochemical assays.
• Master-level degree in exact/natural/medical sciences or equivalent (Polish or foreign).
• Candidate readiness to join Doctoral School starting 1 March 2027.

Responsibilities

• Conduct in vitro assays to detect metalloenzyme activities (laccase and alcohol dehydrogenase) using bacterial controls.
• Amplify target enzymes with PCR and sequence them.
• Biochemical, biophysical and structural characterization of metalloenzymes.
• Collaborate with international partners and participate in IP and grant activities.

Skills

Laboratory experience

English proficiency

Education

Master's degree or equivalent

Tools

PCR techniques

DNA sequencing

E. coli expression

Job description

Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics Polish Academy of Sciences

Organisation/Company Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics Polish Academy of Sciences Research Field Biological sciences Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Application Deadline 30 Nov 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Warsaw) Country Poland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Mar 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Researchers in IBB have access to a unique resource – its collection of Antarctic microorganisms – through the Institute’s management of the Arctowski Station and of microbes that have been collected in the Antarctic by researchers based on the station. This collection offers a largely untapped opportunity to bioprospect these organisms and their genomes for biomolecules of medical and biotechnological value, as well as to study fundamental aspects of microbial and protein adaptation to cold climates. This project will create a framework for a long-term collaborative effort between the Institute’s microbial biochemists and its Antarctic microbiologists to perform bioprospecting for useful metalloenzymes in the Antarctic microbe collection.
In vitro assays to detect the activities of two target metalloenzymes, one that requires copper (laccase) and one that requires zinc (alcohol dehydrogenase), will be developed and optimized using suitable bacterial controls, with support from expert biochemists in the host laboratory. The assay will be used to screen the approximately 3,000 culturable bacterial isolates in the collection in a high throughput manner to identify those that possess the target enzymes, leveraging the in-house expertise of the microbiology team who have cultured and isolated the strains. The target enzymes will be amplified using a degenerate PCR approach and sequenced. Bioinformatic analyses and structural prediction will identify the target enzymes that are most likely to possess the necessary substrate specificity and carry out the necessary chemical transformations to be of optimal use for biotechnological applications. A selection of each target enzyme will be cloned and expressed in recombinant forms, including in bespoke host E. coli strains developed by the host lab for efficient manufacture of metalloproteins. Working with expert collaborators at Centro de Investigaciones
Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB Margarita Salas), a Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) research centre in Madrid, we will use targeted mutagenesis and artificial evolution to further optimize their biochemical properties in vitro. The optimized enzymes will be biochemically, biophysically and structurally characterised in the host lab to demonstrate their activities and cold‑adapted properties. As the project proceeds, intellectual property (IP) protection processes will be undertaken
The project will deliver a high-level multidisciplinary training in diverse, cutting‑edge skills to equip the successful student for a career in academic or industrial biochemical research: wet‑lab molecular biology, structural biology, biochemistry and microbiology expertise, including for high‑throughput analyses; computational biology skills in analysis of high throughput sequencing data, protein sequence and analysis and structural prediction; transferable skills in presenting their work in written and oral form, and managing collaboration with world‑leading international experts; and working knowledge of the national and international IP and associated funding opportunities landscape. The student will join a thriving, multidisciplinary and multicultural host team, with a well‑equipped laboratory, and will also work closely with the Institute’s Antarctic microbiologists throughout the project.

Hold a degree of Master of Science [Magister], Master of Engineering [Magister Inżynier], medical doctor or equivalent in the field of: exact sciences, natural sciences, medical sciences or related disciplines, granted by a Polish or foreign university; a person who does not possess the qualifications described above may take part in the competition, but must obtain the qualifications in question and provide the relevant documents before the start of the programme at the Doctoral School (i.e., 1st March 2027). Education at the Doctoral School begins on 1st March 2027.

Specific Requirements

Some laboratory experience in working with microbes and/or performing biochemical assays.

Languages

ENGLISH Level Excellent

Research Field

Biological sciences

Additional Information

• Possibility of renting a room in the Institute's hotel for the first 3 months at a special price (depending on rooms’ availability);
• Possibility to join a medical plan;
• Research mini‑grants for doctoral students (up to PLN 20000, a PhD student may apply for funds twice during his/her studies);
• Conference Grants (each PhD student can use up to PLN 12,000 to attend conferences during his/her studies);
• Surcharge for the multi sport card;
• Support in obtaining a temporary residence card (+ Reimbursement of TRC application expenses);
• Language courses (Polish, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian… (the offer of courses may change);
• Psychological care (up to 5 visits);
• Subsidy for the purchase of eyeglasses (once every two years);
• Free parking spot.

Selection process

The recruitment process consists of three stages:

1. selection of candidates by the Committee based on the alignment of the candidate’s competencies with the requirements specified in the recruitment program;
2. selection of candidates by the Committee based on their previous achievements and academic results presented in the submitted documents;
3. an interview conducted by the Committee including in particular:
   • presentation delivered by the candidate containing the outcomes of his/her research (a Master’s thesis or other research work carried out by the candidate); the presentation must not last longer than 10 minutes;
   • questions asked by the members of the Committee related to the presented project, the methods used and interpretation of the results obtained;
   • questions asked by the members of the Committee related to the proposed PhD programme described in the recruitment announcement;
   • questions related to the candidate’s motivation for scientific work.

Stage One

The Committee analyses the application documents in terms of the candidate’s competencies and their alignment with the requirements specified in the recruitment program. Candidates who obtain at least 40% of the maximum number of points in the first stage qualify for the second stage.

Evaluation criteria:

• education in the subject areas listed in the application guidelines; (scoring scale: 0.0 – 2.0 points);
• experience in the subject areas listed in the recruitment program (scoring scale: 0.0 – 2.0 points);
• other competencies specified in the recruitment program (scoring scale: 0.0 – 1.0 points).

Stage Two

The Committee evaluates the candidates’ previous achievements and their academic performance based on the submitted documents. Candidates with the 5 best scores, not lower than 60% of the maximum number of points, will qualify for the third stage;

• results obtained during studies (scoring scale: 0.0 – 4.0 points)
• competencies specified in the recruitment programme (scoring scale: 0.0 – 3.0 points)
• co‑authorship of a scientific publication (depending on the role in the publication) (scoring scale: 0.0 –1.0 point)
• other achievements, e.g., awards, active conference attendance, honourable mentions, scholarships, domestic and foreign internships, voluntary work, popularisation of science (scoring scale: 0.0 – 2.0 points)

Stage Three

When determining the results of the interview, the Committee takes into account:

• the degree of understanding of one’s own work; the ability to interpret the results obtained; the understanding of the methods used, knowledge in the field related to the topic of the submitted work (a scale of the evaluation: 0 - 10 points);
• knowledge in the subject matter listed in the recruitment announcement (a scale of the evaluation: 0 - 10 points);
• form of presentation of the candidate’s results (a scale of the evaluation: 0 - 3 points).

Number of offers available 1

Company/Institute Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics Polish Academy of Sciences

Country Poland

City Warsaw

Postal Code 02-106

Street ul. Pawińskiego 5a Geofield