A PhD student position is available in the newly established (from December 2020) laboratory of Dr Michael Wrzaczek at the Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice. The group works on signal transduction in plants using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system.

The project will be carried out in close collaboration with the group of Dr Pavel Kerchev at Mendel University in Brno and the Van Breusegem lab at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology, Belgium, and aims at elucidating how redox regulation is integrated with epigenetic control of the response to environmental stimuli in plants.

The project will investigate how redox regulation impacts the epigenetic landscape in response to environmental stimuli in plants. You will use a multidisciplinary approach combining molecular biology, recombinant protein expression and purification, generation and work with mutant and transgenic plants (analysis of protein complexes, confocal microscopy), plant physiological assays for immunity, and abiotic stress tolerance and development.

WHAT DO WE OFFER
• PhD study for 4 years 2021-2025 (possible start in March 2021),
• Exciting projects understanding signal transduction in plants,
• PhD fellowship & part-time job employment on research grants,
• Support for career development and mentoring,
• International team, collaborations and opportunities to travel,
• Administration support with relocation & settlement in the Czech Republic,
• Work-life balance in a middle-sized university city offering outdoor, sport & cultural activities.

• Have you obtained MSc in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry or a related field?
• Are you proficient in English – oral and written (ideally proven by IELTS, TOEFL score)?
• Are you familiar with molecular biological techniques (PCR, cloning)?
• Do you have basic computer skills (office, statistics)?
• Have you got any experience with R? (beneficial)
• Do you have experience with research on plants? (beneficial but not strictly required)
• Do you also have experience with protein work, proteomics or confocal microscopy? (beneficial)
• Are you open to learning new techniques and concepts, same as you are able to drive a research project forward?

Great, we are looking for you!

• 1 extra week of holiday, i.e. 5 weeks of paid holiday per year in total
• Subsidized lunches in our canteen
• Benefits from Social fund
• Full health insurance
• Student benefits
• Working in a stable, prestigious research institution of international importance
• Friendly international working environment
• Support of leisure time activities
• Free language classes – Czech for foreigners, English for Czechs (the capacity is limited)
• Opportunity to take part in mentoring programmes as a mentor or a mentee
• Concessionary mobile tariff at the contractual operator
• Concessionary banking services at the contractual bank

PLACE AND BACKGROUND
History wherever you turn and excellent beer. That is Ceske Budejovice (2 hours away from Prague). A city with over 750 years of tradition, the breathtaking countryside around, and a growing international expert community at the Biology Centre CAS and the University of South Bohemia. Check out our Guide for Expats to read about life in the city and the Czech Republic.

SELECTION PROCEDURE
The Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences holds the HR Excellence in Research Award. Our selection process is transparent, open, non-discriminating, and fair. For more information about the researchers’ recruitment policy at our institution, see OTM-R.

ARE YOU INTERESTED?
Send us the following documents in PDF via the «REPLY» button below by 3 January 2022:

• Motivation letter
• CV including list of publications and contact information for two academic referees

Interviews and admission exams with selected applicants will be held in January 2022.

If you have any queries, you may contact Dr Michael Wrzaczek via email: michael.wrzaczek@umbr.cas.cz (subject: PhD Redox Signaling)