Assistant (post-doc) – Dept. of Addiction Pharmacology, Team 1 IP PAS

The aim of this competition is to recruit a candidate for a an assistant (post-doc) position to conduct research in National Science Centre (NCN) Opus 26 project, 2023/51/B/NZ7/02360, entitled “Semaglutide and neurodevelopment: investigating risks arising from prenatal exposure to a widely popular drug for diabetes and obesity”.

Project overview:

Semaglutide, a drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, has gained worldwide popularity, particularly among women of reproductive age, raising concerns about its potential effects on fetal development. The planned research will investigate the impact of semaglutide on neurodevelopmental processes using in vivo models. It is hypothesized that exposure during the first trimester may affect offspring nervous system development through alterations in synaptic plasticity, neuronal connectivity, and cognitive function, likely mediated by the activation of GLP-1R receptor signaling pathways. The project includes comprehensive biochemical, molecular, and behavioral analyses aimed at thoroughly assessing the potential neurotoxic effects of semaglutide.

A candidate for the position of an assistant (post-doc) should meet the following conditions:

1. A PhD degree in biological, pharmaceutical, medical, veterinary or related sciences obtained no earlier than 7 years before the start of employment in the project, from an institution other than IP PAS. Alternatively, the candidate must have completed
   a documented, continuous postdoctoral fellowship abroad of at least 10 months. The
   7-year period may be extended for long-term (exceeding 90 days) documented sickness or rehabilitation benefits due to incapacity for work during this period. Additionally, the number of months spent on leave related to the care and upbringing of children granted under the terms specified in the Labor Code can be added to this period. For women, the period may be extended by 18 months for each child born or adopted, if such a calculation is more favorable for the candidate;
2. The Principal Investigator must not have been the PhD advisor or auxiliary advisor of the candidate;
3. During the period of employment in the project, the candidate must not receive any other remuneration from direct costs of NCN-funded research projects;
4. The candidate may not hold an employment contract with another employer during the project, including institutions based outside of Poland;
5. Proficiency in standard in vivo procedures, including subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injections, as well as tissue and organ collection for further analysis;
6. Experience in conducting behavioral tests in animal models (e.g., cognitive, anxiety, depressive-like, locomotor, and coordination tests), including planning, execution, and interpretation of results;
7. Practical knowledge of techniques such as gene expression analysis (qPCR), ELISA, RNA/DNA/protein isolation, electrophoresis, and Western blotting;
8. Documented experience in executing research projects, independent data analysis and interpretation, manuscript preparation, and public presentation and discussion of research findings;
9. Proficiency in statistical analysis of experimental data and fluency in software such as Statistica, GraphPad Prism, ImageJ, or equivalent, including appropriate selection and interpretation of statistical tests;
10. Fluency in spoken and written English;
11. Impeccable ethical attitude.

Additional advantage:

1. Completion of a certified course for individuals involved in planning and performing procedures and euthanasia of animals used for scientific or educational purposes, in compliance with the Polish Animal Protection Act (Journal of Laws 2023, item 465);
2. Familiarity with R and/or Python for biological, bioinformatics, and statistical data analysis, including use of libraries dedicated to genomic data analysis;
3. Fluency in

Scope of Duties:

1. Conducting in vivo experiments using animal models to assess the effects of semaglutide on central nervous system development;
2. Performing subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injections, as well as collecting tissues and organs for further analyses;
3. Carrying out behavioral tests in rodents (e.g., cognitive, anxiety-like, depressive-like, locomotor, and coordination tests);
4. Performing molecular and biochemical analyses;
5. Analyzing and interpreting experimental data, including selection of appropriate statistical tests and data visualization;
6. Preparing research reports, scientific manuscripts, and conference presentations;
7. Maintaining laboratory documentation in accordance with applicable standards and ensuring compliance with ethical regulations concerning animal experimentation;
8. Strict adherence to the code of ethics of Polish Academy of Sciences employee;
9. Adherence to rules and regulations in force at the IP PAS.

Conditions of employment:

Full-time employment based on a fixed-term employment contract for up to 48 months. The gross-gross salary (including all employer-related costs) is approximately 11,500 PLN per month (i.e., ~140,000 PLN annually), in accordance with OPUS 26 NCN guidelines. The anticipated start date is October 2025.

Required documents:

1. Application for employment for the above-mentioned position together with a cover letter with a description of scientific interests;
2. List of information about the candidate in accordance with Appendix 1 to the Form;
3. Personal questionnaire for a person applying for employment in accordance with Appendix 2 to the Form;
4. A copy of the doctoral diploma or a certificate of obtaining a doctoral degree;
5. Short self-presentation;
6. A copy of the certificate of completion of training in conducting research with the use of laboratory animals, if available;
7. Contact details of persons who can provide information about the candidate and who agreed to be contacted;
8. Certificate of English language proficiency, if available;
9. Declaration of the primary workplace and affiliation of research and publications in accordance with Appendix 3 to the Form;
10. Information on the processing of personal data in accordance with Appendix 4 to the Form;
11. A declaration of impeccable ethical attitude in accordance with Appendix 5 to the Form.

Applications along with the required documentation should be sent in electronic form to the following e-mail address: ifpan@if-pan.krakow.pl by August 29, 2025.

The message’s title should indicate which competition the application concerns: “Competition – assistant (post-doc) at the Dept. of Addiction Pharmacology, Team I, OPUS 26 grant”.

The competition winner will be selected from among those meeting the formal requirements based on the analysis of documents and possible interviews.

Please be advised that we will contact only selected candidates and will not return the submitted documents. We reserve the right to void the competition without giving any reason.

Announcement date:  July 31, 2025

Application deadline:  August 29, 202t5

Interview dates:  September 8-11, 2025

Competition settlement:  September 16, 2025