Post-doctoral position - Recruitment No 46​/2026

Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences

Organisation/Company Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences Department Team No. 16:
Medical Chemistry, Protein Biochemistry and Biocatalysis Research Field Chemistry » Biochemistry Chemistry » Reaction mechanisms and dynamics Chemistry » Structural chemistry Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) Positions Postdoc Positions Final date to receive applications 25 Aug 2026 - 12:00 (Europe/Warsaw) Country Poland Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by a EU programme Reference Number 46/2026 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Post-doc position available in the Institute of Physical Chemistry PAS within the National Science Center OPUS 30, Project no. 2025/59/B/NZ1/02711, entitled “Functional and Structural Characterization of Predicted Human Oxygenases with an Unusual Fe(II)-Binding Site”.

(leader Dr. Lennart Brewitz; Team No. 16: Medical Chemistry, Protein Biochemistry and Biocatalysis)

Dioxygenases use molecular oxygen to modify their substrates, which can include proteins, nucleic acids, fatty acids, and small molecules. Because of their versatility, dioxygenases are involved in many essential cellular processes, such as breaking down fatty acids, signalling, and regulating gene expression. Dioxygenases are also important drug targets, and many widely used medicines work by blocking their activity.

Understanding how dioxygenases function, what substrates they act on, how they perform their reactions at the molecular level, and what their three-dimensional structures look like is crucial for developing medicines.

The objectives of this project are to characterise the function, substrates, and structure of two unusual human dioxygenases related to cancer. This knowledge, together with artificial intelligence-based methods, will be used to guide the development of molecules that selectively block the activity of these two dioxygenases to enable future cellular studies on their potential as cancer targets.

This project will employ a combination of state-of-the‑art laboratory techniques to produce these two human dioxygenases in bacterial cells, to identify the natural molecules they modify (using e.g. NMR, MS, plate reader‑based activity assays), and to determine their three‑dimensional structures (using e.g. protein crystallography); part of the work will be carried out together with international collaborators. Collectively, the results of these investigations will inform on how these two dioxygenases work at the molecular level and will help to define their roles in both healthy and cancer cells.

Research Field Chemistry » Biochemistry Education Level PhD or equivalent

Research Field Chemistry » Reaction mechanisms and dynamics Education Level PhD or equivalent

Research Field Chemistry » Structural chemistry Education Level PhD or equivalent

• Independently design, plan and conduct experiments related to the biochemical and structural characterisation of human dioxygenases
• Design, express and purify protein constructs
• Develop and perform enzyme activity assays
• Structurally characterise proteins
• E ffectively work together with students and international collaborators
• Oversee the work of students
• Disseminate research results at project meetings, in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences

• A PhD degree in chemistry, biochemistry, or related scientific disciplines is required, obtained in the year of employment in the project or within 12 years before 1 January of the year of employment in the project. For researchers with multiple PhDs, the date of the first PhD award is deemed the reference date. Extensions might apply according to the rules of the National Science Centre, Poland;
• Additionally, the candidate for the postdoctoral position must meet the following condition: their PhD degree has been conferred by an institution other than the one employing them at this…