The University of Oldenburg is seeking to fill the following position:
PhD student in the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology
Paygrade
E13 TV-L
Working Hours
65%
Institution
School VI of Medicine and Health Sciences, Department of Human Medicine
Location
Oldenburg (Oldb)
Application Deadline
31.08.2025
First day of work
as soon as possible
Limited
for three years
Benefits at University of Oldenburg
30 days vacation
Secure remuneration according to collective agreement
Company pension scheme
Further education opportunities
Flexible working hours
Health management
Remote working
Compatibility of career and family
Support with childcare
University Sports Centre
About us
The School VI of Medicine and Health Sciences comprises the fields of human medicine, medical physics, acoustics, neurosciences, psychology and health services research. School VI, together with the four regional hospitals, forms the University Medicine Oldenburg. Furthermore, the university cooperates closely with the University Medicine of the University of Groningen.
In the research laboratory of the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Medical Campus of the University of Oldenburg, we are engaged in clinically-oriented and fundamental microbiology and virology research.
Your tasks
The project
Salmonella Typhimurium is a major human pathogen that survives and replicates within host cells by residing in a specialized compartment known as the Salmonella-containing vacuole (SCV). Type I interferons (IFNs) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) play crucial roles in host defense, but their contribution to restricting Salmonella remains poorly understood. Preliminary findings from our lab identified ISGs that can limit Salmonella replication in cell culture. This project aims to investigate selected candidate ISGs to determine their impact on bacterial growth, dissect their underlying mechanisms of action, and explore whether Salmonella is able to adapt to this immune pressure. Insights from this study will advance our understanding of host-pathogen interactions and innate immune responses to intracellular bacteria.
Responsibilities:
* Conduct experiments under BSL-2 conditions, including cell culture, fluorescence and confocal microscopy, immunoprecipitations and molecular cloning
* Data processing (image analysis and statistical analysis)
* Data presentation
Your profile
Required qualifications:
* An academic university degree (Master or equivalent) in biomedicine, molecular biology or related sciences
* Laboratory experience in molecular or cell biology (areas such as virology, immunology, or molecular microbiology)
* Excellent communication skills in English
Desired qualifications:
* Social competence and excellent team skills
* Motivation and flexibility, a high degree of dedication and productivity
We offer
* Payment in accordance with collective bargaining law (special annual payment, public service pension scheme, asset-related benefits) including 30 days of annual leave
* Support and guidance during your onboarding phase
* A family-friendly environment with flexible working hours (flextime) and the possibility of pro-rata mobile work
* Benefits from the university’s health promotion programme
* An extensive and free further education programme as well as programmes geared towards the promotion of early career researchers ()
Our standards
The University of Oldenburg is dedicated to increase the percentage of female employees in the field of science. Therefore, female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. In accordance to § 21 Section 3 NHG, female candidates with equal qualifications will be preferentially considered. Applicants with disabilities will be given preference in case of equal qualification.
Further information
The position offers the opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree (PhD). The PhD is embedded in a structured graduate programme that includes a comprehensive range of subject-specific and interdisciplinary training, as well as quality assurance measures such as a supervision agreement and a thesis committee.
Contact
For further information, please contact Dr. Volker Kinast ( volker.kinast@uol.de, +49 441 798 5040).
Apply now
Please send your application via e-mail by 31.08.2025 to
volker.kinast@uol.de )
Please send your application - including a motivation letter, a letter of recommendation (from your current or most recent position), CV, and copies of relevant certificates - as a single PDF file by email to Dr. Volker Kinast.