🎓 PhD Positions – Join Our Lab in Ribosome Biology & Translation Quality Control. Apply until 15th February, 2026!
We are currently seeking a PhD student to join our lab at the earliest possible start date.
If you are fascinated by ribosome biogenesis, translation dynamics, and quality control mechanisms, and you enjoy hands-on molecular biology combined with cutting-edge sequencing technologies, this is an excellent opportunity for you.
🧪 Two Exciting Project Options
Project 1: Ribosome Biogenesis – From RNA Modification and Processing to Translation Defects
Investigate how eukaryotic ribosomes are assembled, including the processing and modification of ribosomal RNAs & link your findings to ribosome (mal-)function. You will:
- Develop and optimize protocols to purify ribosomes at distinct maturation stages, including defective ones.
- Apply nanopore direct RNA sequencing to characterize modifications and compositional features of these particles.
- Build on findings from our recent publication to uncover new functional layers of ribosome maturation and function.
Project 2: Molecular Mechanism of Jlp2 – A Novel Ribosome Rescue Factor
Characterize the newly identified release factor Jlp2 in yeast, which resolves stalled peptidyl-tRNAs when canonical termination fails. You will:
- Determine its catalytic mechanism using biochemical approaches.
- Define its role in translation quality control pathways and functional redundancy with other rescue factors.
- Explore evolutionary conservation by identifying and characterizing orthologs in other eukaryotes.
- Background reading: See our latest preprint on Jlp2.
🧑🔬 Who Should Apply?
We seek candidates with:
- A strong academic record in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field (M.Sc. or equivalent, or soon to be completed).
- Hands-on experience in wet-lab techniques (e.g., cloning, protein purification, RNA work, yeast genetics).
- Interest or prior exposure to high-throughput sequencing (nanopore, ribo-seq, etc.) and/or bioinformatic analysis of sequencing data.
- Fluency in both English and German (written and spoken) - mandatory.
- A passion for method development, problem-solving, and independent research.
Teaching Experience
All PhD students in our lab contribute to teaching - typically assisting in a Chemistry practical course for Pharmacy students. Basic knowledge of Chemistry is therefore required. This is an excellent opportunity to develop leadership, communication, and mentoring skills.
🌟 Why Join Our Lab?
- Cutting-edge science in a rapidly evolving field: ribosome dynamics, RNA modification, and translation quality control.
- State-of-the-art tools at your disposal: nanopore sequencing, sucrose gradient fractionation, UV-crosslinking (CRAC), and more.
- Structured training through the Collaborative Research Center TRR319 – RNA Modification & Processing (RMaP) and its Graduate School (YouRMaP), offering:
- Lab and soft-skills courses
- Funding for international conferences and research stays
- Retreats and networking events
- Supportive, collaborative environment - we value creativity, teamwork, and support your independence.
- As a young, growing group, you’ll have the unique chance to help shape the lab’s identity and research direction.
🎓 B.Sc. & M.Sc. Projects – Internships, Theses, Practical Year
We welcome applications from M.Sc. students for thesis projects or longer internships — please contact us to discuss available topics.
B.Sc. theses are possible, but not available before the second half of 2026. If you’re interested, reach out now to express your interest — we’ll keep you informed as positions open.
📬 How to Apply
Please send the following to Marie-Luise Winz at mwinz@uni-mainz.de:
- CV (including contact details, 2 referees, and publications, if any)
- Letter of motivation (max. 1 page) — briefly describe your background, research interests, and why you’re interested in our lab and projects
- Academic transcripts
We look forward to hearing from you!