IRB Barcelona (www.irbbarcelona.org) is a multidisciplinary research institute where scientists collaborate to address fundamental biomedical questions and unmet medical needs. The Institute currently hosts more than 500 members from around the world across 27 research groups.
IRB Barcelona was founded in 2005 by the “Generalitat de Catalunya” and the University of Barcelona (UB) and is located in the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). We are a CERCA centre that forms part of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST). The State Research Agency has awarded IRB Barcelona four consecutive Severo Ochoa" Centre of Excellence Accreditations (2011, 2015, 2019 and 2023).
IRB Barcelona invites applications for a Group Leader position in Structural Biology as part of its strategic effort to strengthen molecular sciences.
The successful candidates will join a highly multidisciplinary and collaborative institute with strong expertise in cancer and metastasis, ageing and cell reprogramming, metabolism, cell differentiation, signal transduction, and gene expression, working at the interface of structural and computational biology, chemistry, and biology.
IRB Barcelona is embedded in a vibrant scientific ecosystem and maintains close collaborations with major research infrastructures such as the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and the ALBA Synchrotron, as well as leading research centres, universities, and hospitals in Barcelona.
Selected candidates will primarily use cryo-electron microscopy to study macromolecular machines, with a strong focus on mechanistic studies, including protein–nucleic acid complexes, to reveal molecular mechanisms of biomedical relevance at atomic resolution. Demonstrated leadership in building research teams and research infrastructure will be considered an advantage.
How to apply:
Applications should include a CV, letter of intent, brief (2-page) research proposal, and the names and contact details of at least three referees
Applications must be submitted no later than 22 May 2026, quoting reference GL/26/02 (Structural Biology).
The successful candidates are expected to join in Q4 2026 or 2027, with flexibility depending on individual circumstances.
For Informal enquiries, please contact the chair of the Search Committee Prof. Xavier Salvatella, at xavier.salvatella@irbbarcelona.org and for details and updates on the selection process please contact the Head of People at irbglcall@irbbarcelona.org
'IRB BARCELONA endorses the Requirements and Principles of the European Charter for Researchers, the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, and Open, Transparent, Merit-based recruitment promoted by the European Commission, and it
applies Equal Opportunities policies. In December 2014, IRB Barcelona was awarded the "HR Excellence in Research" logo. This recognition reflects the commitment of the Institute to the continuous improvement of its human resource policies'.
We are a biomedical research centre that works to achieve a society free of diseases.
Our research purpose is to address fundamental biological questions in order to decipher why diseases develop and find new ways to diagnose, prevent and treat them.
Our Institute holds more than 500 scientists and support staff from 41 nationalities. It is organised around three major research challenges: Cancer Science, Aging and Metabolism, and Mechanisms of Disease.
The Institute was created by the Catalan government in 2005 and is located at the Barcelona Science Park (PCB). IRB Barcelona is a CERCA center, a member of BIST and is the first biomedical research center to be awarded four consecutive times with the "Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence" by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
IRB Barcelona's ultimate objective is to translate research results to patients. To this purpose, it has already established six active spin-off companies: Accure Therapeutics, Inbiomotion, Nostrum Biodiscovery, Ona Therapeutics, Gate2Brain, and Nuage Therapeutics.
