Postdoctoral Research Assistant - UOD2336

Staff Supervision: Expected to work as part of a small team alongside research support staff, Honours, MSc and PhD students.

Duration of employment: 2 years in the first instance

Role

Protein secretion is an essential process that delivers a diverse array of proteins to the extracellular milieu. The Miller lab studies the conserved cellular machinery that mediates biogenesis of secreted and membrane proteins, focusing on protein quality control in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This project will focus on early stages of secretory protein synthesis and how specific conditions can trigger a stress-response pathway known as ER-associated ribosome-associated quality control (ER-RQC). We aim to understand how cells maintain quality control during protein biogenesis by tuning translation to prevent ribosome collisions, how ribosome collisions are sensed and resolved, and how cells respond to this quality control event. Specifically, we will use genetic approaches in yeast to dissect the molecular mechanisms that govern ER-RQC, define the spectrum of protein clients that are subject to this pathway, and translate these findings to mammalian cells. The post will suit independent, ambitious researchers with expertise in both yeast genetics/biochemistry, ribosome biology and human cell models.

Principal Duties

The successful candidate will report to Prof. Miller and will:

• Undertake research aimed at dissecting the mechanisms of ER-RQC in yeast and human cells
• Work independently to identify, develop and apply a broad range of techniques to pursue the research objectives, including yeast genetics, biochemistry, and ribosome profiling.
• Interact with other labs and Divisions within the FLS to deliver on research outputs
• Present scientific work at seminars within the FLS and at external meetings
• Draft scientific papers and contribute to the overall preparation of research for publication
• Assist in the training of students (Honours, M.Sc. and PhD) and others within the SLS.

Knowledge and Experience

• PhD in a relevant area; expertise in yeast genetics and ribosome biology is particularly valued
• Minimal requirement of a major contribution to at least one paper in a peer-reviewed journal
• Experience with standard molecular biology techniques; additional experience with yeast genetics, biochemistry, ribosome profiling, mRNA analyses are advantages
• Quantitative analytical skills, including statistical analysis
• Experience with independently running a project that has demonstrated creativity and initiative