Jobs in Structural Biology and Related Fields

Postdoctoral Researcher in Advancing Methodology and Analysis Tools for Time-Resolved Structural Biology

Application deadline: 04 Apr 2026

The Institute for Structural Biology has an opening for a three-year postdoctoral researcher in SNaX team of the DYNAMOP group. The aim of the researcher is to advance data analysis tools for time-resolved serial X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy, with a focus on software optimization, as well as the analysis of time-resolved structural data.

The Institute for Structural Biology

The Institute for Structural Biology (IBS, France) is located within the Grenoble Science Park (ESRF/ILL/EMBL/IBS) and is a major national and international player in the field of integrated structural biology. Its mission is to drive forward research in structural biology, key to understanding fundamental biological mechanisms. It is a research centre that offers access to state-of-the-art technical platforms, provides scientific training and creates opportunities for collaboration. As a joint research unit (CEA-CNRS-UGA), the IBS comprises 20 research groups, each of which offers a multidisciplinary approach to study the frontiers of biology, physics and chemistry. The IBS is home to nearly 300 staff members, comprising researchers, doctoral students, engineers and technicians, working together in a dynamic and multicultural environment.

The DYNAMOP group

The Dynamics and Kinetics of Molecular Processes (DYNAMOP) group, headed by Dr. Martin Weik, studies the structure and dynamics of proteins using X-ray diffraction and scattering, and neutron spectroscopy. The group is divided in two teams: Structural Protein Dynamics (SPD, led by Dr. Martin Weik) and Serial NanoCrystallography (SNaX, led by Dr. Jacques-Philippe Colletier). The group comprises approximately 15 members, including permanent researchers, postdoctoral researchers, PhD students and technicians. The group strives for a mix of nationalities and attaches great important to gender equality and personal well-being.

Context of the postdoctoral position

The postdoctoral position is available in the SNaX team, which specializes in serial (time-resolved) crystallography and developing software for time-resolved X-ray crystallography (NanoPeakCell and Xtrapol8). The project will be conducted under the supervision of and in close collaboration with Dr. Elke De Zitter, Dr. Jacques-Philippe Colletier and Dr. Nicolas Coqulle, all permanent members in the DYNAMOP group. The postdoctoral project is within the framework of a collaboration with the CristallinaMX group (Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), SwissFEL, Switzerland).

Main activities: The main activities are in function to improve and expand Xtrapol8:

• Develop tools for bootstrapping, and singular value decomposition.
• Improve the methods and theoretical basis to estimate occupancy.
• Implement real-space methods.
• Modularize and parallelize the Xtrapol8 code.
• Analyse time-resolved crystallographic and cryo-EM datasets.
• Participate in TR-SX experiments at SwissFEL.
• Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at international conferences.
• Work closely with the DYNAMOP group at IBS and the CristallinaMX team.

Required and preferred skills and competences:

• PhD in Mathematics, Physics, Computational Biology, Structural Biology, Biophysics, or a related field.
• Strong programming skills in Python. Experience with other programming languages is advantageous.
• Familiarity with time-resolved techniques in crystallography or cryo-EM is highly desirable.
• Proven track record of scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (minimum B2 level). French language skills are beneficial. Non-French-speaking candidates are expected to acquire a basic proficiency in French to facilitate communication and integration into the laboratory.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in an international team.

Application instructions: Interested candidates should send their application to Dr. Elke De Zitter (elke.de-zitter@ibs.fr) and Dr. Jacques-Philippe Colletier (colletier@ibs.fr). The application should contain a cover letter detailing motivation and relevant experience and a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications and contact information for 2-3 references.

More information

• Contract Type: Fixed term (CDD)
• Duration: 36 months
• Expected Start Date: 01 May 2026 (Flexible)
• Work Quota: Full-time