Research Assistant in the PACMAN project (#4) of Virtual Research Institute

University of Wroclaw; Poland; On-site; PLN 156,000 - 212,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stable employment

Employment contract

Professional experience

Translational project

Preclinical validation

Job summary

University of Wroclaw invites applications for a Research Assistant position within the PACMAN project at the Faculty of Biotechnology. The role focuses on biophysical characterization of antibody-drug conjugates and related analyses in a dynamic research setting.

Initial contract is six months with possibility of extension; funded through internal university program. The candidate should have a Master’s degree in biotechnology or related field and strong teamwork abilities.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in biotechnology, chemistry, or a related field.
• Experience with biochemical and biophysical techniques for protein/conjugate characterization.
• Experience in sample preparation and analyses using spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques.
• Ability to interpret experimental data and assess conjugate properties.
• Proficiency in Polish and English.

Responsibilities

• Conduct biophysical characterization of selected conjugates and prepare samples.
• Perform biophysical measurements and assess physicochemical properties (stability, homogeneity, aggregation).
• Analyze results and report findings; present at scientific meetings.
• Participate in departmental meetings and contribute to organization of activities.

Education

Master’s degree in biotechnology or related field

Tools

Biochemical & biophysical techniques

Spectroscopic analysis

Chromatography

Job description

Biological sciences » Biological engineering

Medical sciences » Cancer research

Organisation/Company University of Wroclaw Department Faculty of Biotechnology Research Field Biological sciences » Biological engineering Medical sciences » Cancer research Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Master Positions Application Deadline 13 Dec 2026 - 23:55 (Europe/Warsaw) Country Poland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week tbd Offer Starting Date 1 Jan 2027 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number 88.2026.PACMAN.WB.AW Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? Yes

Offer Description

The University of Wroclaw invites applications for the position of research assistant in the PACMAN project of Virtual Research Institute (WIB) at the Faculty of Biotechnology.

Call no. 88.2026.PACMAN.WB.AW of 10.11.2026

Department/Unit: Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wrocław
Position name: Assistant
Position type: Research
– in research discipline: Biotechnology
– in research field: Natural sciences
Position profile in the project: Junior Researcher, Vacancy No. 4
Place of work: Wrocław
Full-time equivalent: 1
Type of contract: Employment contract

Final deadline for submitting applications for recruitment: until December 13, 2026, 11:55 PM
Advertisement expiration date: December 13, 2026, 11:55 PM
Recruitment decision date: December 15, 2026
Planned employment date: January 1, 2026
Employment period: 6 months, with the possibility of extension

The competition is open to each candidate who meets the requirements set out in the Higher Education and Science Act of July 20th 2018 (Journal of Laws of 2024, item 1571) and the Statute of University of Wroclaw.

Project

“Personalized antibody-drug conjugates activated by matrix metalloproteinases for solid tumors”, acronym: PACMAN, Virtual Research Institute (WIB); managing entity: Łukasiewicz Research Network – PORT. The PACMAN project aims to develop a new class of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) that do not require internalization and are selectively activated extracellularly by matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-14) in the solid tumor microenvironment.

Biophysical characterization of selected conjugates.

Tasks

Biophysical characterization of selected conjugates, including sample preparation, biophysical measurements, assessment of the physicochemical properties of the conjugates, and analysis and interpretation of the results.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in biotechnology, chemistry, or a related field.
• Knowledge of advanced biochemical and biophysical techniques used for the characterization of proteins and conjugates, including methods for assessing their physicochemical properties, stability, homogeneity, and aggregation.
• Experience in sample preparation and performing biophysical and biochemical analyses using spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques.
• Ability to analyse and interpret experimental data and assess the quality and properties of the investigated conjugates.
• Proficiency in both Polish and English.
• Putstanding academic achievements, as evidenced by publications in reputable journals.
• Experience in conducting research as a team member in at least one large-scale research project (budget exceeding PLN 1 million).
• Documented active participation in conferences, workshops, courses, and other forms of scientific development.
• Experience in preparing scientific publications and analyzing results from research projects.
• Motivation for scientific research.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Commitment to comply with non-competition rules in accordance with WIB Program guideliness.

Scope of responsibilities

• In the research area:
  • conducting experimental research and analysing results,
  • preparing reports,
  • participating in scientific meetings and conferences,
  • monitoring scientific reports published in national and international journals.
• In the organizational area:
  • active participation in departmental/faculty meetings,
  • involvement in the organization of the department’s activities.

Selection criteria

• Candidate's scientific and professional experience and competence to perform tasks in the research project.
• Scope of previous research activity and its consistency with the topic of the Research Task.
• Quality and scope of the candidate's previous scientific achievements, in particular scientific publications, participation in research projects, awards and distinctions received, and references issued by independent scientists.
• Candidate's soft skills, including teamwork skills, communication, knowledge of fluent English and Polish.

Recruitment of candidates will be conducted in the form of an open competition, in compliance with the principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, which are part of the HR Excellence in Research strategy.

We offer

• Stable employment at a renowned university.
• Employment based on an employment contract.
• Opportunity to gain valuable professional experience.
• Opportunity to work on a project with high translational potential.
• Participation in comprehensive preclinical validation (in vitro/ex vivo/in vivo), aimed at developing personalized anticancer therapy.

Development prospects

• Scientific development - the University offers a wide range of scientific research and projects, thanks to which employees can develop their skills and gain experience in their field, also in cooperation with other scientific centers and companies.
• Education - the University of Wroclaw offers employees the opportunity to participate in training programs.
• International collaboration - the University of Wroclaw runs numerous international exchange programs for its employees.
• Photocopy of the diploma confirming obtaining the academic degree of MSc.
• Statement whether the University of Wroclaw will be the primary place of work in the case of winning the competition (download Workplace Statement ).
• Declaration of the discipline in which the candidate will conduct research, and in the case of people conducting research in more than one discipline, the percentage of their involvement in each of these disciplines (download Declaration of scientific discipline ).
• Self-presentation (information about scientific, organizational, and other achievements).
• List of scientific publications.
• Electronic versions of the two most important publications that the candidate considers representative of his or her scientific achievements, or an explanation of the lack of them, provided that the Chairman of the Committee may expect all or selected scientific publications or other documents to be submitted.
• Application for employment addressed to His Magnificence the Rector.
• Details of individuals able to provide professional references.
• Acknowledgment of receipt of the GDPR information clause.

If you voluntarily provide us with data in your application other than what is necessary for participation in the recruitment process, please express your consent to their processing:
– in the case of ordinary data: "I consent to the processing of my personal data contained in (e.g., CV, cover letter, or other attached documents) by the University of Wrocław in the recruitment process for the position of..."
– in the case of special categories of data: "I consent to the processing of special categories of my data, referred to in Article 9(1) of the GDPR, contained in (e.g., CV, cover letter, or other attached documents) by the University of Wrocław in the recruitment process for the position of..."

Additional information

• We reserve the right to reply only to selected candidates. Submitted documents will not be returned.
• Applications from individuals who submit their documents without indicating a specific reference number and those submitted after the application deadline will not be considered.
• All information regarding the recruitment process is provided by the administrative staff of the Faculty/University-wide Unit.
• The date of receipt of documents is decisive. The deadline for receipt of application documents is 11:55 PM on the date indicated in the Recruitment Information. Receipt of documents from the candidate will be confirmed by the administrative staff of the Faculty/University-wide Unit via email to the address indicated in the application.
• Applications will be reviewed by a Recruitment Committee appointed by the applicant. After the recruitment process is closed, applications submitted by traditional mail from unsuccessful candidates will be returned. Interested parties will be able to collect them from the administrative staff of the Faculty/University-wide Unit within 6 months after the recruitment process is closed, upon receipt confirmation.
• The University reserves the right not to resolve the recruitment.
• The University of Wrocław conducts recruitment of scientific staff through open competitions, in accordance with the principles of transparency, equal treatment of candidates, and selection based on meritocratic criteria, resulting from the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers (OTM-R). These principles are implemented through internal university regulations and competition procedures published on the University's websites.
• Recruitment conducted by the University of Wrocław is carried out with respect for the principle of equal opportunities and non-discrimination, based on applicable law and internal university regulations, including the Gender Equality Plan and the activities of the Committee for Equal Treatment.
• The University of Wrocław, as a friendly employer, supports the employment and functioning in work of people with disabilities and people with special needs, providing organizational and technical support through the Office of Support and Accessibility, as well as actions for architectural, informational, and digital accessibility of university buildings. https://uwr.edu.pl/pomocny-uwr/osoby-z-niepelnosprawnosciami/
• Before establishing an employment relationship with the person who wins the recruitment, the University of Wrocław will verify them in accordance with the provisions of the Act of May 13, 2016, on counteracting threats of sexual offenses and protecting minors. The data necessary for this verification (PESEL number or, if not available, maiden name, father's name, mother's name, date of birth) will be obtained only from the selected person and should not be provided at the application stage.
• The University of Wrocław has a Regulation on internal reports concerning legal violations and taking subsequent actions, ensuring the protection of whistleblowers. The Regulation was introduced by Order No. 4/2024 of the Rector of the University of Wrocław. Detailed information and the Secure Whistleblower Channel are available at: https://uwr.edu.pl/bezpieczny-kanal-sygnalisty/ .
• The University of Wrocław does not provide housing.

Research Field Biological sciences » Biological engineering Education Level Master Degree or equivalent