Assistant (post-doc) (F/M/X) at the Department of Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism, Team III,

Maj Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the Institute or IP PAS) announces the competition for an assistant (Postdoctoral Researcher) (F/M/X) to conduct scientific research within the framework of the National Science Centre project OPUS 26, no. 2023/51/B/NZ7/02360, entitled “Semaglutide and neurodevelopment: investigating risks arising from prenatal exposure to a widely popular drug for diabetes and obesity.”

Research Topic Description:

Semaglutide, a drug used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity, has gained global popularity, particularly among women of reproductive age, raising concerns about its potential impact on fetal development. The planned research aims to investigate the effects of semaglutide on neurodevelopmental processes using in vivo models. It is hypothesized that exposure to this compound during the first trimester of pregnancy may affect the development of the offspring’s nervous system by modulating synaptic plasticity, neuronal connectivity, and cognitive functions through mechanisms associated with GLP-1R receptor signaling pathways. The project foresees comprehensive biochemical, molecular, and behavioral analyses to provide an in-depth assessment of the potential neurotoxic effects of semaglutide.

A person for the position of an assistant (post-doc) (F/M/X) should meet the following conditions:

1. A doctoral degree in biological, pharmaceutical, medical sciences or related fields, obtained at an institution other than the Institute of Pharmacology PAS, not earlier than 7 years before the year of employment in the project, or completion of at least a 10-month, continuous, and documented postdoctoral fellowship abroad. The 7-year period may be extended by the documented time spent on long-term (over 90 days) medical leave or rehabilitation benefits due to incapacity for work. In addition, this period may be extended by the number of months of parental or childcare leave granted under the provisions of the Polish Labour Code, and for women, by 18 months for each child born or adopted, if this method of accounting for career breaks is more advantageous;
2. The project’s Principal Investigator must not have been doctoral supervisor or assistant supervisor of the person submitting the offer;
3. During the period of employment in the project, the candidate may not receive any other salary funded from direct costs of research projects financed by the National Science Centre (NCN);
4. During the period of employment in the project, the candidate may not be employed under an employment contract by another employer, including employers based outside of Poland;
5. Proficiency in performing basic in vivo procedures, including subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injections, as well as tissue and organ collection for further analyses;
6. Experience in conducting behavioral tests on animal models (e.g., cognitive, anxiety, depression-like, locomotor, and coordination tests), with knowledge of their design, execution, and interpretation;
7. Practical knowledge of methods such as gene expression analysis (qPCR), immunoenzymatic assays (ELISA), RNA/DNA/protein isolation, electrophoresis, and western blotting;
8. Experience in implementing research projects, independently analyzing and interpreting results, preparing manuscripts, and presenting and discussing findings in public;
9. Knowledge of statistical analysis of experimental data. Proficiency in the use of statistical and graphical software such as Statistica, GraphPad Prism, ImageJ, or equivalent, and the ability to select appropriate statistical tests for different data types and interpret the results;
10. Completed training required for persons planning and conducting procedures and euthanizing animals used for scientific or educational purposes, in accordance with the provisions of the Polish Act on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Educational Purposes (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 465, of 2025, item 1795);
11. Advanced command of the English language, both spoken and written;
12. Exemplary ethical conduct.

Additional assets will include:

1. Knowledge of programming languages R and/or Python for the purpose of biological, bioinformatic, and statistical data analysis, including the use of libraries dedicated to genomic data analysis.
2. Knowledge of the Polish language.

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 for IP PAS employees;
9. Compliance with internal regulations and official directives in force at the IP PAS.

TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:

Employment within the project under a full-time employment contract (task-based work system) for a period of up to 48 months. The salary will be in accordance with the NCN OPUS 26 regulations, i.e. approximately PLN 140,000 gross gross per year. The planned starting date of employment is July 2026.

 REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

1. Application for employment for the above-mentioned position together with a cover letter with a description of scientific interests;
2. 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. Copy of the doctoral diploma or certificate confirming the award of the doctoral degree;
5. Short self-report (autobiographical statement of research achievements);
6. Copy of the certificate of completion of training for persons planning and conducting procedures and euthanizing animals, in accordance with the provisions of the Polish Act on the Protection of Animals Used for Scientific or Educational Purposes (Journal of Laws of 2023, item 465, of 2025, item. 1795);
7. Contact details of referees who have agreed to provide information about the candidate and who agreed to be contacted;
8. Certificate of English language proficiency, if available;
9. Statement on the primary place of employment and affiliation of research and publications, in accordance with App. No. 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 18.06.2026. The title of the message should indicate which competition the application concerns:
“Competition – Assistant (post-doc) (F/M/X) – Dept. of Pharmacokinetics and Drug Metabolism, Team III IP PAS, OPUS 26 grant”.

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

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

Date of the competition announcement – 29.05.2026

Deadline for submitting applications – 18.06.2026

Date of the competition settlement – 26.06.2026