The University of Vienna has been ranked among the Top 100 Universities in the World by Times Higher Education (THE). We strive to create a harmony of contrasts, creating new possibilities and ideas. Let us shape the future together and make a real difference to society. We are looking for a
Senior Scientist
74 Max Perutz Labs
Job vacancy starting: 01.03.2027 | Working hours: 32.00 | Classification CBA: §48 VwGr. B1 lit. b (postdoc)
Job ID: 6424
Explore and teach at the University of Vienna, where over 7,500 brilliant minds have found a unique balance of freedom and support. Join us if you’re passionate about groundbreaking international research and academic excellence. Ready to be part of our team? Let’s shape the future together!
About the Max Perutz Labs
The Max Perutz Labs are a research institute established by the University of Vienna and the Medical University of Vienna to provide an environment for excellent, internationally recognized research and education in the field of Molecular Biology. Dedicated to a mechanistic understanding of fundamental biomedical processes, scientists at the Max Perutz Labs aim to link breakthroughs in basic research to advances in human health. The Max Perutz Labs (www.maxperutzlabs.ac.at) are located at the Vienna BioCenter, one of Europe’s hotspots for the Life Sciences, and host to around 50 research groups, involving more than 450 scientists and staff from 40 nations.
Your personal sphere of play:
As the sucessful candidate, you will join the Diz-Muñoz Lab, with a strong background in cell biology and biophysics, specialized expertise in cellular mechanics and atomic force microscopy (AFM), and a proven ability to contribute independently to scientific research. The position combines experimental research and methodological development with responsibility for complex research instrumentation, scientific collaborations, and the day-to-day support of an active interdisciplinary laboratory.
The vacant position is to be filled for a period of one year with the option to extend into a permanent position
Your future tasks:
Active participation in research, teaching & administration, which means:
- Conduct independent scientific research in cell biology and biophysics, focusing on cellular mechanics, mechanobiology, and the mechanical properties of the cell surface.
- Design, establish, and optimize experimental approaches to investigate membrane tension, membrane-to-cortex attachment, cell mechanics, and related cellular processes.
- Apply and further develop AFM-based force spectroscopy and complementary imaging techniques to quantify cellular mechanical properties and investigate the underlying biological mechanisms.
- Take responsibility for the acquisition, setup, commissioning, maintenance, and troubleshooting of AFM systems and associated instrumentation, in collaboration with technical service providers where appropriate.
- Develop, optimize, and maintain experimental protocols, standard operating procedures, and workflows.
- Initiate and coordinate scientific collaborations.
- Provide day-to-day scientific and technical support to laboratory members, helping troubleshoot experimental, methodological, and instrumentation-related problems and supporting the smooth progress of ongoing research projects.
- Train, mentor, and support students and other research staff in experimental methods, including AFM, cell biology, and related techniques.
- Contribute to the efficient organization and operation of the laboratory, including the management of scientific equipment, laboratory documentation, databases, shared resources, and experimental infrastructure.
- Contribute to teaching activities and the supervision of student research projects, as required.
This is part of your personality:
- Doctoral degree (PhD) in biology, biophysics, biochemistry, or a related discipline.
- 10+ years of postdoctoral research experience and extensive subsequent experience in an academic research environment.
- Strong scientific background in cell biology, biophysics, cell mechanics, and mechanobiology.
- Extensive hands-on experience with AFM and force spectroscopy, ideally applied to living cells and/or tissues; and the quantitative investigation of membrane tension, membrane-to-cortex attachment, or related aspects of cellular mechanics.
- Experience acquiring, setting up, operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting complex AFM instrumentation.
- Experience with advanced microscopy, quantitative imaging, and the analysis and interpretation of experimental data.
- Strong practical knowledge of mammalian cell culture and molecular and cellular biology techniques.
- Proven ability to independently design experiments, develop and optimize experimental protocols, troubleshoot complex procedures, and contribute to method development.
- Experience in collaborative research, scientific publication, and the communication of research findings.
- Demonstrated ability to train, mentor, and support students and other researchers, and to provide practical scientific guidance in a collaborative laboratory environment.
- Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills, a high degree of responsibility, and the ability to manage scientific, technical, and operational tasks independently.
- Excellent communication skills and proficiency in spoken and written English.
Experience coordinating the acquisition of scientific equipment, developing laboratory procedures, and maintaining shared research infrastructure is an advantage.
What we offer:
Work-life balance: Our employees enjoy flexible working hours, remote/hybrid and/or part-time work (upon agreement).
Inspiring working atmosphere: You are a part of an international academic team in a healthy and fair working environment.
Good public transport connections: Your workplace in the center of beautiful Vienna is easily accessible by public transport.
Internal further training & Coaching: Opportunity to deepen your skills on an ongoing basis. There are over 600 courses to choose from – free of charge.
Fixed-term contract and fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 5,079.50 (14 times a year on full time basis) increases, if we can credit professional experience.
Get off to a great start in your new job: the Welcome Compass helps you settle into your new role at the University of Vienna and life in Vienna.
Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every additional/new personality to the team!
It is that easy to apply:
- With your scientific curriculum vitae / letter of intent
- With your list of publications
- With your summary of research interests (max. 1 p.)
- Doctoral Degree
- Contact details of persons who could provide reference letters
- Via our job portal/ Apply now - button
For any content-related questions, please contact:
Gijs Versteeg
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.
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