Research Scientist in the field of Synthetic Biology - Project SYNERGY (M/F/X)

仕事内容

Functieomschrijving:
In the frame of the research project “SYNERGY” (ref: HFM/21-04) funded by the Royal Higher Institute for Defense (RHID), we are looking for a full-time research scientist with at minimum a master’s degree in Bio-engineering or Biotechnology with an interest in Synthetic Biology.
Context
The Royal Military Academy of Belgium (RMA) is a military institution of university education responsible for the basic academic, military and physical training of future officers, and for the continued advanced training of officers during their active career in the Defense department (www.rma.ac.be). RMA is also conducting scientific research at university level for projects funded by Defense or by external sources.
The research project SYNERGY is funded by the RHID and you will conduct scientific research at university level on this project. You work within the research unit on Bacteriophage Therapy of the Laboratory for Molecullar and Cellular Technology (LabMCT) of the Life department, which is located in the Queen Astrid Military Hospital (QAMH) in Brussels.
Study
Phage therapy, the process of using bacteriophages (phages), the viruses that infect bacteria, to cure bacterial disease, has now been made a reality in Belgium to combat increasing problems with antimicrobial resistance. At the Queen Astrid Military Hospital in Brussels, burn wound patients are now being treated with tailor-made magistral preparations of bacteriophages as part of the standard of care. However, today, bacteriophages are selected for therapeutic use solely on the basis of whether they can infect the strains colonizing patients.
This project aims to investigate and then improve Pseudomonas aeruginosa treatment with bacteriophages in burn wound patients by identifying bacteriophages that work well in combination at scale. We will identify pairs of bacteriophages that work synergistically with each other or antagonistically against each other, and then elucidate the ecological, molecular, and medical basis of the relationship. We will apply the knowledge we gain to select (combinations of) bacteriophages that will be optimally suited to the context of each patient and improve treatment outcomes.
The SYNERGY project is foreseen to last for 4 years.
Duration of the contract: this vacancy is linked to the duration of the RHID project SYNERGY. As a result, the collaboration will end when the project will be over. However, if additional funds are available, we can continue the collaboration.

Main Tasks:
As a researcher at the Bacteriophage Therapy research unit of LabMCT, you will perform the following research activities in the framework of the project:

• Characterize bacteriophages using classical microbiology methods as well as modern molecular biology tools (e.g., genome and proteome analysis of bacteriophages).
• Develop, optimize, and evaluate de novo bacteriophage genome synthesis protocols.
• Report the progress results to the promotor and research team/consortium in English.
• Report the obtained results at international conferences and write scientific papers in English.

Profiel:
Technical skills:

• The applicant shall have at minimum a Master’s Degree in Bio-engineering or Biotechnology or equivalent;
• Training or experience in one or more of the following fields is an added value:
• Bacteriophage biology;
• Molecular Biology;
• Synthetic Biology, with an emphasis in bacteriophage synthesis;
• Biological data visualisation;
• Statistical analysis;
• English communication skills are required (English is the language of communication within LabMCT);
• Experience in applied research and/or design is an added value;
• Experience in programming (MATLAB, CLC, R studio) is an added value.

Personal skills

• You conduct scientific research in an independent and upright way within a multidisciplinary environment that could lead you to a PhD.
• You think in an innovative and creative way.
• You are good at problem solving and are eager to learn.
• You communicate your results in a clear, concise and precise manner.
• You show enthusiasm and drive for the project.
• You take initiatives.
• You are involved and result oriented.
• You are honest, loyal toward the institution and respect confidentiality.
• You plan and manage proactively your self-development, while being critical to your own functioning and striving to your self-improvement.
• You are a good team player.
• You behave in a respectful way towards others, to their ideas and opinions as well as toward procedures and instructions.
• You are flexible for change and adjust yourself.
• You commit yourself in your job by giving the best of your skills in the pursuit of the highest quality standards and by persevering when needed.

Other skills: Minimum knowledge of French or Dutch is recommended, but not mandatory.

Aanbod:
Contract

• Probable date of recruitment

: ASAP (ideally: October 1st 2021), in agreement with the applicant.

• Status:

Full-time employment (38h/week) based on an
open-ended contract with the Patrimony of the Royal Military Academy. This does not imply that the candidate will be a civil servant. The financing of this contract is tied to the
SYNERGY project.

• Wage scale: A22 (PhD), A21 (Ir) or A11 (holders of a Master Degree in Bio-engineering or Biotechnology (Applied Sciences))

Extra-legal benefits

• Possibility to obtain a bonus for bilingualism (Dutch/French);
• Holiday allocation;
• End-of-year bonus;
• Hospitalization insurance;
• Free public transport (home-work commute within Belgium) or bike allowance;
• Free access to the on-site sport infrastructure;
• On-site restaurant and cafeteria with reduced price for employees.

Workplace

• Queen Astrid Military Hospital, Bruynstraat 1, 1120 Brussels;
• Occasional professional travels abroad;
• Meetings at partners’ premises;
• Stimulating work environment.