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Studentische Hilfskraft (HiWi) for the ModelArchive

Start date: As soon as possible

How does life emerge from molecules and cells? This is the central question that motivates us. With curiosity and passion, we investigate the entire spectrum ranging from the atom to the organism. The Biozentrum of the University of Basel is one of the world’s leading life sciences institutes. With 32 groups and 500 employees, we are a dynamic and international research community that has spawned many fundamental discoveries in biology and medicine as well as several Nobel Laureates. Become part of our community!

We are looking for a motivated student to support the ModelArchive team. The ModelArchive (https://modelarchive.org) is the international repository for computed structural models that are not based on experimental data. It currently hosts over 622,000 publicly visible models contributed by the community, and has seen rapidly growing demand in recent years.

In Prof. Torsten Schwede’s group, we use computational methods, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence, for modelling of macromolecular complexes, including protein assemblies, protein-ligand interactions, and conformational changes. Our research also aims to design artificial protein binders, investigate the effects of mutations on protein structure and function, and apply protein representation learning to uncover hidden links between proteins.

At the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, we develop SWISS-MODEL (https://swissmodel.expasy.org), a widely used web-based platform for generating high-accuracy 3D models of protein structures and complexes for application in life sciences.

Your responsibilities

  • Support the ModelArchive team in data curation tasks, including communicating with users, checking depositions, and suggesting improvements.
  • Contribute to the documentation of the ModelArchive deposition workflow to guide users and assist curators.
  • Assist with the development of the automated scripts for handling depositions.

Your profile

  • You are enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s program at a Swiss university.
  • You bring either strong programming skills in Python or a background in structural biology and computational methods (e.g. AlphaFold, SWISS-MODEL). Both profiles are welcome.
  • Good communication skills in English (working language of our group).
  • Experience in documenting technical workflows is a plus.

We offer

  • Insight into a growing international research infrastructure
  • The opportunity to contribute to an active research community in structural biology and computational methods.
  • Flexible working hours compatible with your studies.
  • Salary and benefits according to the University of Basel standards.

Application

Please apply online with your CV and a short motivation statement explaining how your background and skills match this position: https://biped.biozentrum.unibas.ch/apply/hiwi_modelarchive

Please clearly indicate your preferred starting date. Review of applications will begin immediately and proceed until the position is filled.