One PhD fellowships is available in the newly established Krietenstein group at the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research (NNF-CPR – https://www.cpr.ku.dk/) at the University of Copenhagen.
Before entering the PhD Program, the successful candidates will have an initial employment as Research assistant for 1 year scheduled to start on 1. November 2022 or soon after.
Our Group
Our group aims is to elucidate the mechanisms and dynamics of 3D genome organization to better understand the role of spatial chromosome structure in genome regulation. The candidate will join a newly established lab and will therefore have the opportunity to choose from various projects for her/his PhD thesis. Our group is located at The Novo Nordisk Center for Protein Research (NNF-CPR) that was established in 2007 at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, to promote basic and applied research. NNF-CPR is located in central Copenhagen and provides an international, interdisciplinary and collaborative environment. NNF-CPR is a highly collaborative environment, therefore a strong interest in collaborative work by the PhD candidate is highly valued. We encourage enthusiastic and motivated candidates to apply to this call.
About the PI
Nils Krietenstein has long-standing interest in chromatin biology. During his PhD at the University of Munich he studied the 1D organization of chromatin organization biochemically with in vitro reconstitution experiments in the lab of Philipp Korber. In his latest research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School he studied mammalian genome organization in 3D using high-resolution spatial genomics tools with Oliver Rando. For more information about Nils Krietenstein, please visit: https://www.cpr.ku.dk/research/protein-memory/krietenstein/
Project Description
The PhD candidate will focus on developing novel sequencing-based tools to study the dynamics of genome organization in heterogenous, health-relevant cell populations. We use health-relevant cell culture systems and biochemical approaches to study 3D chromatin structure. It is also our aim to develop novel tools to gain insights into structural changes of genome organization systems using state-of-the-art sequencing technologies. Our group is part of the Protein Memory Program that has a strong interest in understanding how chromatin regulates the function of genomes, what epigenetic states are involved in this role and how these states are memorized through cell divisions. The candidate will have the opportunity to participate in a highly collaborative research environment and have access to cutting-edge core facilities, such as genomics, proteomics, protein imaging, protein production and characterization, and big data management platforms.
Required qualifications
As an applicant you must have:
- Obtained (or expect to have obtained) a Master’s degree (equivalent to a Danish Master’s degree) in Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics or related areas prior to the starting date
- Fluency in English and excellent written and oral communication skills
Preferred qualifications
We are especially interested in candidates with previous experience in working with deep-sequencing data, mammalian cell culture or biochemistry; although all necessary training will be provided to help you succeed.
Job description
During the first year as Research assistant, the candidate will have to formulate a PhD project, help out with research tasks and start become familiar with the research field of interest and apply for enrolment as PhD fellow.
Your key tasks as a PhD fellow at the Faculty are to:
- Carry through an independent research project under supervision
- Write scientific articles and the PhD thesis on the grounds of your research project
- Complete PhD courses or other equivalent education corresponding to approx. 30 ECTS points
- Obtain experience with teaching or other types of dissemination related to your PhD project
- Participate in national and international congresses and scientific meetings
- Stay at an external research institution, preferably abroad
Terms of employment
The employment as Research assistant is full time and for 1 year.
Salary, pension and terms of employment are in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary begins around 29,600 DKK /approx. 3.980EUR (February 2021-level) plus pension.
The employment as PhD fellow is full time and for 3 years.
It is conditioned upon the applicant’s successful enrolment as a PhD student at the Graduate School at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, as well as a positive assessment of the 1-year research assistant position. Enrolment at the Graduate School requires submission and acceptance of an application for the specific project formulated by the applicant (for more information, please see https://healthsciences.ku.dk/phd/guidelines/).
The PhD study must be completed in accordance with The Ministerial Order on the PhD programme (2019) and the Faculty’s rules on achieving the degree. Salary, pension and terms of employment are in accordance with the agreement between the Ministry of Finance and The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations on Academics in the State. Depending on seniority, the monthly salary begins around 27,568 DKK /approx. 3.700 EUR (February 2021-level) plus pension.
Questions
For further information, please Nils Krietenstein, nils.krietenstein@cpr.ku.dk. For administrative information please contact the HR Center, sund-hr-cpr@sund.ku.dk.
Application procedure
Your application must be submitted electronically by clicking ‘Apply now’ below. The application must include the following documents in PDF format:
1. Motivated letter of application (max. one page)
2. CV incl. education, experience, language skills and other skills relevant for the position
3. Certified copy of original Master of Science diploma and transcript of records in the original language, including an authorized English translation if issued in other language than English or Danish. If not completed, a certified/signed copy of a recent transcript of records or a written statement from the institution or supervisor is accepted. As a prerequisite for employment, your master’s degree must be equivalent to a Danish master’s degree. We encourage you to read more in the assessment database: https://ufm.dk/en/education/recognition-and-transparency/find-assessments/assessment-database. Please note that we might ask you to obtain an assessment of your education performed by the Ministry of Higher Education and Science
Application deadline: 17th of August 2022, 23.59pm CET
We reserve the right not to consider material received after the deadline, and not to consider applications that do not live up to the abovementioned requirements.
The further process
After the expiry of the deadline for applications, the authorized recruitment manager selects applicants for assessment on the advice of the hiring committee. All applicants are then immediately notified whether their application has been passed for assessment by an unbiased assessor. The assessor makes a non-prioritized assessment of the academic qualifications and experience with respect to the above-mentioned area of research, techniques, skills and other requirements listed in the advertisement.
Once the assessment work has been completed each applicant has the opportunity to comment on the part of the assessment that relates to the applicant him/herself.
You can read about the recruitment process at https://employment.ku.dk/faculty/recruitment-process/
The applicant will be assessed according to the Ministerial Order no. 1443 of 11 December 2020 on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Universities.
Part of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), and among Europe’s top-ranking universities, the University of Copenhagen promotes research and teaching of the highest international standard. Rich in tradition and modern in outlook, the University gives students and staff the opportunity to cultivate their talent in an ambitious and informal environment. An effective organisation – with good working conditions and a collaborative work culture – creates the ideal framework for a successful academic career.
Info
Application deadline: 17-08-2022
Employment start: 01-11-2022
Working hours: Full time
Department/Location: Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research