Přehled

Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences announces an open position:

Head of research infrastructure unit – Centre of Molecular Structure

The position is for you if:

… you are excited about the field of structural biology and would like to support scientists from academia and industry with top-quality services in this field

… you have experience with management in a research setting in academia or industry, and wish to apply it to run and improve a top research infrastructure facility in the Czech Republic

… you want to make a tangible impact by securing the provision of reliable research services on the national and international level

… you enjoy working with smart and creative people in a truly international environment (35% of our employees come from outside of the Czech Republic, 25% do not speak Czech)

… you want to contribute to the development of technologies and the portfolio or research services

About the role

We are seeking a professional to manage a research infrastructure facility with a focus on structural biology and protein engineering. In this role, you will be responsible for the everyday operations of the multifaceted portfolio of services of the Centre of Molecular Structure (CMS), under the facilities of Protein production, Biophysical techniques, Structural mass spectrometry, Crystallization of proteins and nucleic acids and Diffraction techniques. You will coordinate the development of the offer suitable for internal and external customers, manage user projects, administer grant support for the Centre, report to the funding authorities, organize training activities, and lead marketing and public relations of the infrastructure. You will actively seek partnerships for consortium projects focused mainly on the support of research in the Czech Republic and on an international level.

Key Responsibilities

  • Management of the CMS team: ensure recruitment, onboarding, performance management, talent management, and training of the facility team
  • Development of the services portfolio: remain up to date on trends in the field, identify trends, and develop an offer attractive to academic and commercial customers
  • Infrastructure financial management: plan and manage the yearly budget, set pricing for the services, monitor the use of resources, plan and realize investments, oversee invoicing
  • Securing funding: lead and coordinate the negotiation of terms and conditions of infrastructure support grant applications; in the case of international consortia, negotiate consortium collaborations and later partnership agreements for collaborative projects involving multiple international organizations
  • Strategy development: lead the development of the Center’s strategy in collaboration with the infrastructure coordinator of the Institute of Biotechnology, the Institute’s Committee on Core Facilities, and the Czech Infrastructure for Integrative Structural Biology (CIISB, a part of the Czech member of the European infrastructure Instruct-ERIC)
  • Academic users’ project management: oversee user project management, participate in projects review and communicate with users, support negotiation with external users, contribute to project management system development
  • Commercial projects management: negotiate commercial projects with customers, including collaboration with the legal department and technology transfer department on contract preparation
  • Marketing and PR: Present CMS to the research community at in person or virtual events, prepare marketing and PR materials, present the Centre to the public
  • Infrastructure and equipment development and maintenance: oversee purchases, adjustments and maintenance of the equipment, ensure fair maintenance contracts
  • Training activities: oversee and support facility staff in the planning, advertising and conducting training of users

Desired skills and experience

  • Structural biology: Completed PhD in the field of structural biology or a closely related field, practical experience in one or more of the structural biology techniques offered by the Center
  • Experience with team management: Demonstrated experience in leading a team in a research setting
  • Familiarity with grant management: Proven experience in managing grants in the research sector or research infrastructure support
  • Independence and teamwork: Ability to work with minimal supervision and to form an efficient team with facility staff
  • Creative problem solving: Ability to think critically and propose innovative, out-of-the-box solutions
  • Business acumen: Ability to define business objectives and tailor negotiation and communication strategies to effectively engage with commercial partners.
  • Language proficiency: English at least at C1 level in speaking, reading, and writing; Czech – some knowledge is a significant advantage
  • Digital tools proficiency: Advanced use of the Office suite, including planning and management tools.

Attitude and drive

  • Service-oriented with managerial drive: Able to balance empathy and support with leadership and decision-making
  • Collaborative and inclusive: Skilled at engaging diverse stakeholders in solution-finding and open to constructive feedback
  • Team-first mindset: Puts organizational success before self-interest
  • Resilient and adaptable: Embraces challenges, learns from setbacks, and is comfortable working with conflicting priorities
  • High integrity: Communicates honestly and strives for fairness, even in difficult situations
  • Thriving in public research setting: Comfortable with high levels of independence, flexibility, and creativity; understands the challenges of working with public resources

Start date

Preferred: September 2025 (negotiable)

Our Offer

  • Modern scientific environment with state-of-the-art facilities
  • Diverse work supporting scientific progress
  • Involvement in top-level Czech and European research infrastructure
  • Competitive salary
  • 5 weeks of vacation
  • Opportunity to adjust working hours based on personal needs
  • Meal allowance

About the Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences

The Institute of Biotechnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IBT, ibt.cas.cz) is a top-class multi-disciplinary public research institution in the Czech Republic whose mission is to research biomolecular mechanisms, the understanding of which contributes to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and the emergence of innovative biotechnologies. IBT is located in the BIOCEV center (biocev.eu) operated by the Czech Academy of Sciences and Charles University. IBT has ~200 employees, ~three quarters of which work in research.

Location

IBT is located in the BIOCEV center in Vestec, Prague-west, ~30 minutes from the city center by public transport.

How to apply

Send your application to hr@ibt.cas.cz, including:

  • your CV, where you highlight your skills and experience critical for the position,
  • a motivation letter, where you tell us why you are interested in the position and why we should choose you.

Later in the process, we may request references for phone interviews and ask you to present your recent activities with a focus on the desired skills and experience and a case study related to the position.

For more information, please contact Markéta Hlaváčová (marketa.hlavacova@ibt.cas.cz).

We look forward to hearing from you and exploring how we can shape the IBT’s research infrastructure together!

More details on the processing of personal data are available on the website: https://www.ibt.cas.cz/cs/o-ustavu/uredni-deska/gdpr

 

 

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