Doctoral Researcher Position: Phenazine (297/2017)

As of 1st April 2018 Prof. Miriam Rosenbaum-Agler
the chair of
Synthetic Biotechnology at the Faculty of Biology and Pharmacy
of Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena
has an open position for a
Scientific Employee (Wissenschaftliche/r Mitarbeiter/in).

Required qualifications:
• Masters degree in Biology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Bioengineering or comparable with excellent grades,
• Mandatory knowledge and practical education in microbiology, desired knowledge in molecular biology, microbial ecology, and experimental design,
• Scientific curiosity, motivation, creativity, and passion,
• Team spirit, independent and cooperative work ethic,
• Very good communication skills and English.

Central tasks:
• Independent and strategic planning, managing and conducting of a research project (see below),
• Preparation, communication and discussion of written and oral research reports within and outside of the research group,
• Participation in project development and proposal preparation,
• Preparation of a PhD thesis.

Project outline: Extracellular microbial electron transfer in microbial communities is an important trait for redox homeostasis, energy exchange and microbial communication. Phenazines from Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be utilized by diverse microorganisms to discharge surplus reducing equivalents to external electron acceptors. This feature can be exploited in bioelectrochemical systems, where biotechnologically relevant redox-transformations can be coupled to an electrochemical system via phenazines as redox-shuttles. The focus of this PhD project will be on the optimization of phenazine based extracellular electron transfer in an engineered strain of Pseudomonas putida to allow for anaerobic biocatalysis in this obligate aerobic bacterium.

The PhD position (at 50%) is initially for a 3 year appointment; an extention is possible. The payscale follows the wage agreements for public employees of federal German states (TV-L -E13). Severely disabled applicants with equal qualification and aptitude are given preferential consideration.

For further information: Prof. Rosenbaum-Agler, miriam.rosenbaum@leibniz-hki.de