School of Crystallography
Post-doctoral Research Assistant
(3 Year Fixed Term)
REPORTS
TO: Dr.
Elena Orlova
SUPERVISES: Research
students
LOCATION:
School
of Crystallography, Malet Street, London WC1
Birkbeck is part of London University and specialises in
part-time evening education. It offers the opportunity of working with mature
students in research-led environments.
THE
SCHOOL OF CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
The School of Crystallography is
part of a Joint Research School in Biomolecular Sciences in conjunction with
the Department of Biochemistry at University College and the Ludwig Institute
for Cancer Research. The Bloomsbury Centre for Structural Biology is headed by
Professor Helen Saibil who holds the Bernal Chair in the School of
Crystallography. Professor David Moss is the School Chairman. Both departments
have a grade 5 research rating, for work of international excellence.
The two main areas of research are in Molecular Biology and Industrial Materials, providing a multidisciplinary research environment with the core methodologies of X-ray crystallography, electron microscopy (EM), image processing, spectroscopy, and computing. Structural molecular biology facilities are complemented by gene cloning, protein expression, and bioinformatics.
JOB
SUMMARY
The
research assistant will work on a 3-year, BBSRC-funded post, to join the
research group of Dr. E.Orlova working on the mechanism of DNA translocation in
tailed bacteriophages. The project is in collaboration with Dr. Paulo Tavares,
Laboratoire de Virologie Moléculaire et Structurale, CNRS (France) and Dr.
Alfred Antson, Dept. Chemistry, University of York. Structural
analysis of the portal protein using electron microscopy has been published (Orlova,
E., Dube, P., Beckmann, E., Zemlin, F., Lurz, R., Trautner, T.A., Tavares, P.
and van Heel, M. 1999, Structure of the 13-fold symmetric portal protein of
bacteriophage SPP1. Nature Struct. Biol.
6, 842-846)
A major equipment award, from
the Joint Infrastructure Fund, has recently provided us with three
cryo-microscopes, including a 200 kV field emission gun system, as well as a
Zeiss SCAI microdensitometer. Computing facilities for the EM group at Birkbeck
include Silicon Graphics and DEC Alpha and PC workstations, in addition to the
School's molecular graphics machines. We also have a rapid freezing device
incorporating a stopped-flow mixer, for trapping short-lived states in combined
kinetics and cryo EM experiments.
The EM research group includes research students and
postdoctoral fellows studying molecular chaperones, amyloid fibrils, and
membrane proteins. For this post, we seek someone with research experience in
electron cryo-microscopy and image processing, ,preferably in structural
molecular biology of single particles. Knowledge of bacteriophage and virus
organisation would be an asset.
Duties
of the Post-holder
General
·
To implement the Equal Opportunities policy into your
daily activities wherever possible
·
To be responsible for your own health and safety and that
of your colleagues, in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)
and relevant EC directives.
·
To work in accordance with the Data Protection Act and to
ensure that all new systems are reported to your Data Protection Controller.
·
In an effort to provide a healthy and comfortable working
environment smoking is prohibited in public areas. Open plan and shared offices are non-smoking unless all the
occupants agree otherwise.
SKILLS,
EXPERIENCE, AND QUALIFICATIONS
The following criteria will be used for the selection of
candidates and unless otherwise stated, the criteria are essential.
Education/Qualifications
Experience/Skills
·
Skills in both biochemical and biophysical sciences are
needed.
Experience
Skills/Technical
Skills/Personal
SALARY: Salary range
£17,626 to 21,503 pa, plus £2,134 pa London Allowance, in Grade RAIA for
Research Staff.
PROBATION: The appointment may be subject to a probationary period,
which will be specified in the appointment letter.
HOURS: Hours of work are
not fixed for research staff but staff will not be required to work on average
more than 40 hours per week (inclusive of lunch breaks).
LEAVE ENTITLEMENT: 25 days
per year, plus an additional 6 days when the College is closed over Christmas
and Easter. This is in addition to
public holidays.
SUPERANNUATION: The normal retirement age for research staff is 65. The post is superannuable under the USS
(Universities Superannuation Scheme).
START DATE: 1
October 2002 or as soon as possible thereafter but no later than 28 January
2003
DURATION: The appointment will be for a fixed term of 3 years.
FURTHER INFORMATION: For further
information please contact Dr. Elena Orlova at the Department of
Crystallography, Birkbeck College, Malet St, London WC1E 7HX, UK. Phone
–44-20-7631 6845/ fax 7631 6803, Email e.rorlova@mail.cryst.bbk.ac.uk
CLOSING DATE: 28
June 2002
Internet addresses for further
information:
School: http://www.cryst.bbk.ac.uk
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