Research Assistant

Technische Universität Berlin Faculty III - Process Sciences, Institute of Biotechnology / Bioanalytics

Research Assistant - 0.65 working-time

under the reserve that funds are granted

Your responsibility

• Cultivation of human cells and in-cell crosslinking under basal and altered conditions (e.g. drug treatment, stress)
• Optimization and benchmarking of chemical and photoactivatable crosslinking reagents with regard to efficiency, membrane permeability, and biological relevance
• Combining crosslinking with subcellular fractionation (cytosol, nucleus, membranes) to enrich compartment-specific protein complexes
• Sample preparation for proteome-wide crosslinking mass spectrometry (digestion, enrichment, multidimensional fractionation) and LC-MS/MS measurements (Orbitrap, Astral)
• Data analysis using xiSEARCH/xiFDR and contribution to improving spectrum assignment and false discovery rate (FDR) estimation, including through systematic investigation of artifacts such as non-covalently associated peptide pairs
• Validation of crosslinking data against known complexes and comparison with CF-MS and AP-MS data from project partners; preparation of distance restraints for structural modeling
• Close collaboration within an international consortium, open sharing of data and protocols, and presentation and publication of results
• There is an opportunity to pursue a doctoral degree

Your profile

• Successfully completed university degree (Master, Diplom, or equivalent) in biotechnology, biochemistry, chemistry, or a closely related discipline
• Practical experience in mass spectrometry-based proteomics (sample preparation, LC-MS/MS, data analysis)
• Solid laboratory experience with biochemical and cell biological methods (e.g. cell culture, protein expression and purification)
• Very good command of written and spoken English

Desirable criteria:

• Readiness to develop expertise in crosslinking mass spectrometry, structural proteomics, and integrative structural modeling
• An independent, meticulous, and structured approach to work, along with strong teamwork and communication skills
• Experience with crosslinking mass spectrometry or the analysis of artifacts in LC-MS data (e.g. non-covalently associated peptides)
• Experience with proteomics data analysis software (e.g. DIA-NN, Xcalibur), programming skills (e.g. Python), and structural visualization (e.g. ChimeraX)
• Knowledge of human cell models, for example in stem cell research or tissue engineering
• Knowledge of German

How to apply

Please send your application with the reference number III-390/26 and the usual documents only by email (compiled into a single PDF document, max. 5 MB) to Prof. Dr. Juri Rappsilber via Apply Now.

Facts

Published: 05.11.2026 Number of employees: ca. 7000 Category: Research assistant Job location: Germany, Berlin, Charlottenburg Area of responsibility: Academia and research, Research (academic) Start date (earliest): 01.12.2026 Duration: for 42 months Full/Part-time: 0.65 working-time Remuneration: Salary grade 13 TV-L Berliner Hochschulen Homepage: https://www.tu.berlin/en/rappsilberlab

Requirements

Qualification: Master, Diplom or equivalent Field of study: Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Chemistry

Contact

Reference number: III-390/26 Contact person: Prof. Dr. Juri Rappsilber

Apply

Application deadline: 20.11.2026 Reference number: III-390/26 By email: Apply Now