Place of work: Warszawa
Recruitment for the project “RNA and Cell Biology Platform for Research and Innovation in Medicine (RACE-PRIME)” (grant agreement no. FENG.02.01-IP.05-T003/23) implemented within the framework of the International Research Agendas funded by the European Funds for Smart Economy programme, for the Junior research specialist to carry out research work in the RNA area under the direction of Prof. Gracjan Michlewski, head of the Laboratory of RNA-Protein Interactions - Dioscuri Centre in collaboration with Dr. Ewelina Małecka (Laboratory of Single-Molecule Biophysics) at the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB).
The main objective of RACE-PRIME is to transform the IIMCB into a world-class center of excellence in RNA and cell biology. The premise of RACE-PRIME is the translational use of the results of basic research, e.g. to develop the premise of new therapies, and diagnostic methods, discover new therapeutic objectives or identify molecules with desirable properties so that they can be developed into medications.
Description of the project area: Phages, viruses that infect bacteria, employ a wide range of strategies to manipulate host cell biology. They can inhibit bacterial protein synthesis, redirect transcriptional machinery toward phage genes, and interfere with RNA degradation pathways. Among these mechanisms, the production of phage-encoded non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) is an emerging and poorly understood area of regulation.
This project focuses on jumbo phages, a group of phages with unusually large genomes (>200 kilobases). These genomes are enigmatic: more than 70% of their open reading frames encode hypothetical proteins with no known homologs, and the presence of functional ncRNAs—particularly those generated through mRNA processing—cannot be inferred from DNA sequence alone. The aim is to characterize the transcriptomes of selected Escherichia jumbo phages, with a specific focus on identifying and functionally analyzing ncRNAs.
Job description: This study combines RNA sequencing, comparative genomics, and functional assays. The junior research specialist will be also responsible for working with bacteriophages, conducting bacterial infections, performing single-molecule microscopy assays and other biochemical tests, as well as analyzing data.

REQUIREMENTS:

• MSc degree in biological sciences or a related field.
• Strong knowledge of molecular biology and microbiology principles.
• Basic hands-on experience in microbiology (bacterial and phage handling), molecular biology lab techniques, and RNA-Seq experiments and data analysis.
• Independence, commitment, initiative, and strong teamwork skills.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Please refer the Job description for details