Jobs in Structural Biology and Related Fields

Postdoc position in correlative cryoET of bacterial pathogens at the Univeristy of Zurich - Weiss Lab

University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

Application deadline: 27 Feb 2026

University of Zürich are looking for an enthusiastic PostDoc candidate to join the Weiss Lab at the Institute of Medical Microbiology, Switzerland. 

In their research group, they aim to unravel the lifecycle of bacterial pathogens through an integrative approach, combining infection biology with advanced structural biology techniques and functional assays. In collaboration with clinical partners and the in-house diagnostic department, they develop workflows for direct cryoEM-imaging of patient-derived samples.

If you are interested in studying bacterial cell–cell interaction in a disease-relevant context, please reach out (gweiss@imm.uzh.ch) with a CV and cover letter. 

About us
The Weiss Lab at the Institute of Medical Microbiology, University of Zürich, investigates the lifecycle of bacterial pathogens using an integrative approach that combines infection biology, advanced structural biology, and functional assays. In close collaboration with clinical partners and our in-house diagnostic department, we develop workflows for direct cryo-EM imaging of patient-derived samples, to understand disease mechanisms across scales and in situ.

The project
You will study bacterial cell–cell interactions in disease-relevant contexts, leveraging cutting-edge structural biology, including:

• Bacterial infection assays (BSL2 and possibly BSL3).
• Life-cell imaging
• Plunge-freezing/High-pressure freezing
• Cryo-FIB milling with serial lift-out
• Cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and subtomogram averaging
• Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM)

Your profile

• PhD in structural biology, microbiology, biochemistry, biophysics, or a related field.
• Strong interest in infection biology and quantitative analysis of cellular ultrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with cryo-EM/cryo-ET, FIB-SEM, or correlated imaging workflows is a plus.
• Familiarity with data processing/analysis pipelines; coding/scripting (e.g., Python, MATLAB, R) is an advantage.
• Independent, highly motivated, and a strong team player with excellent communication skills.

What we offer

• A collaborative, interdisciplinary environment with access to state-of-the-art cryo-EM infrastructure (several Titan Krios, two pFIB instruments).
• Opportunities to work with clinically relevant samples and to develop new correlative and in situ methods.
• Mentoring, career development support, and opportunities to publish and present at leading conferences.
• Very competitive employment conditions according to UZH/Swiss standards.

How to apply
Please send your application including your CV and a cover letter (briefly outlining your research background, key skills, and motivation) to Gregor Weiss at gweiss@imm.uzh.ch.
Informal inquiries are welcome.