Predoctoral Researcher at the Nanomalaria Group

Introduction to the vacant positionThis job is with IBEC, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community. Please do not contact the recruiter directly.Introduction to the vacant position :The Nanomalaria Group is looking for a Predoctoral Researcher to work on the characterization of DNA aptamers for malaria rapid diagnostic tests and on the development of the new antiparasitic compound YAT2150 and its derivatives. The contract will be within the framework of one of the research lines of the Nanomalaria Group, whose objective is the development of highly sensitive methods for malaria diagnosis and of new antiparasitic compounds.Main tasks and responsibilitiesPerform in vitro cultures of Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania infantum.Characterize the binding affinities for target proteins of DNA aptamers.Determine dissociation constants for DNA aptamer‑protein binding.Conduct RNAseq, pulldowns and cellular thermal shift assays.Generate knock‑out lines of P. falciparum and L. infantum using molecular biology approaches.Requirements for candidatesDegree / Master in Microbiology, Molecular Biotechnology or related fields.Experience in parasite cell cultures, including the culture of parasites like Plasmodium and Leishmania.Experience in Caenorhabditis elegans in vivo toxicity assays.Experience in the characterization of DNA aptamers.Experience in Cellular and Molecular Biology techniques.Proficiency in English (written and spoken).Competencies and SkillsWe value not only technical expertise but also the demonstration of core competencies such as communication, teamwork and collaboration, commitment, proactivity, integrity, and critical and analytical thinking.We OfferNumber of available positions : 1Starting date: November‑December 2025, subject to finding the ideal candidate.Working conditions: Full time, 3‑year contract.Salary commensurate with previous experience.Measures to reconcile work and family life (parental leave, flexible schedule working hours, 23 working days of paid holidays, 9 leave days for personal matters, among others).IBEC ensures equality of access to professional development opportunities irrespective of employment status, length at IBEC or other factors. The IBEC's yearly training catalogue offers a wide range of training in technical and transferable skills including mobility grants and a mentoring programme for predoctoral and postdoctoral researchers.Stimulating, interdisciplinary research and high‑quality international scientific environment.Induction programme to facilitate incorporation at IBEC and additional support is provided for foreigners to obtain visa‑working permit and to settle in Barcelona.How to applyUntil October 5, 2025, an online application form is available through IBEC dedicated site: those applications submitted before the deadline will be evaluated.Reference : PHD_XFIf you have any further question regarding your application, please contact us at Principles of the selection processIBEC is committed to the principles of the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers of the European Commission and the Open, Transparent and Merit based Recruitment principles (OTM‑R) Commitment on equal opportunityOur strength and excellence as an international transdisciplinary Research Institute are based on diversity.Being an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to diversity and inclusion, so that we support employees irrespective of their gender, nationality, religion, disabilities, age, sexual identity or cultural and socioeconomic background.IBEC actively looks for female candidates for Senior positions ensuring that at least 40% of shortlisted applicants invited to interview have to be women with comparable level of CVs as the male candidates. At the end of the evaluation process, in case of equal merit, priority will be given to female candidates.For candidates with children that come from outside Barcelona, we offer babysitting services during the interview, so you don't have to worry about anything else than doing a good interview. Contact us if you are interested in this service.IBEC, as a signatory of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), will consider, especially for early‑stage investigators, much more the scientific content of research outputs, than publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which it were published.Protection of personal dataIBEC guarantees that candidates' personal data are processed in accordance with the requirements of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Law 3 / 2018 on Data Protection.Personal data will be processed solely for the purposes of the selection process.Who we are?The Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, IBEC is an interdisciplinary research center focused on Bioengineering and Nanomedicine based in Barcelona. IBEC is one of the top research institutions named as a Severo Ochoa Research Centre by the Ministry of Science, Universities and Innovation, which recognizes excellence at the highest international level in terms of research, training, human resources, outreach and technology