Job Description

Department of Chemistry

PhD Student position in Time-Resolved Structural Biology of Color Vision 80 %

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Start of employment February 1, 2026
A PhD Student position funded by an SNSF Ambizione grant is available in the team of Dr. Polina Isaikina, hosted by Prof. Jorg Standfuss at the University of Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute. Our team applies state-of-the-art structural biology approaches to investigate the functional mechanisms of G protein-coupled receptors and other proteins in a time-resolved manner. Please see our website for further information.

Your responsibilities

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In this PhD project, you will study the activation mechanism of cone opsins, the proteins that form the basis of human color vision, using advanced structural biology techniques. These include time-resolved X-ray crystal-lography at the Swiss X-ray Free Electron Laser and single-particle cryo-electron microscopy at the UZH facilities. You will also be responsible for protein production and functional characterization of your targets. The project is embedded in the Biomolecular Structure and Mechanisms program of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School.

Your profile

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You must hold a Master's degree in biochemistry, chemistry, structural biology, biophysics, or a related discipline, completed before February 2026. Experience in one or more of the following areas is an advantage: cryo-EM, membrane protein biochemistry/biophysics, X-ray crystallography, or spectroscopy. We also expect strong intrinsic motivation to work on ambitious, interdisciplinary projects at the frontier of structural biology.

Information on your application

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Interested? Please submit your application documents (cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact details of two referees) as a single PDF document.

What we offer

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Work-Life Balance

Flexible working models (such as part-time positions, mobile working, job-sharing) Childcare at the kihz foundation of UZH and ETH

Learning and Development

Wide range of continuing education courses of UZH and the Canton of Zurich Language Center run jointly with ETH Zurich

Food

Food and drinks at reduced prices in the UZH cafeterias Lunch-Check-card with UZH contribution

Healthcare

Special conditions on the Academic Sports Association ASVZ Free seasonal flu vaccinations Rest and relaxation at the quiet room in the university tower

Discounts

Private traffic: Carsharing, rent a vehicle, parking space Digitalization: Hardware, software, mobile phone subscriptions Special conditions on hotel reservations

Conditions of Employment

Policies of the UZH Most UZH staff are employed according to public law

International Services

Support for people from outside Switzerland

Campuses

Campuses Zurich City, Zurich Irchel, Oerlikon and Schlieren Sites Zurich West, Old Botanical Garden, Botanical Garden and Lengg

Location

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Department of Chemistry

Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland

Further information

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Questions about the job

Dr. Polina Isaikina

SNSF Ambizione Fellow

Questions about the application procedure

Prof. Dr. Jorg Standfuss

Associate Professor & Head Laboratory of Biomolecular Research

Working at UZH

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The University of Zurich, Switzerland's largest university, offers a range of attractive positions in various subject areas and professional fields. With around 10,000 employees and currently 12 professional apprenticeship streams the University offers an inspiring working environment on cutting-edge research and top-class education. Put your talent and skills to work with us. Find out more about UZH as an employer!