Italy - Commitment & contract: _Post Doc 24 months_ - Location: _Genova Morego_ _Step into a world of endless possibilities, together let’s leave something for the future!_ At IIT, we are committed to advancing human-centered Science and Technology to address the most urgent societal challenges of our era. We foster excellence in both fundamental and applied research, spanning fields such as neuroscience and cognition, humanoid technologies and robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and material sciences, offering a truly interdisciplinary scientific experience. Our approach integrates cutting-edge tools and technology, empowering researchers to push the limits of knowledge and innovation. With us, your curiosity will know no bounds. We are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities and fostering diversity in all its forms, creating an inclusive environment. We value the unique experiences, knowledge, backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives of our people. By embracing diversity, we believe science can achieve its fullest potential. THE ROLE You will be working in a multicultural and multi-disciplinary group, where junior and senior scientists collaborate, each with their expertise, to carry out a scientific activity with a shared research goal. The _Nanobiointeraction&Nanodiagnostics _Research unit is coordinated by _Nicola Tirelli_. Within the research team, your main responsibilities will be: - Engineering and optimizing hybrid nanomaterials, including plasmonic materials and hybrid systems, to enable advanced functionalities (e.g., signal amplification, catalytic enhancement, targeted performance in complex biofluids). - Exploring nanozymes’ mechanisms of action to tune catalytic properties, robustness, selectivity, and response under biologically relevant conditions (pH, ionic strength, proteins, oxidative environment). - Designing and implementing theranostic approaches, integrating sensing therapy within the same platform where relevant (e.g., catalytic modulation of ROS, inflammation-related pathways, or responsive readouts). - Developing (nano)diagnostic strategies, including colorimetric assays and optical biosensors (e.g., plasmonic/photonic readouts), with potential for portable/point-of-care translation - Planning experiments, analyzing data, and reporting results in a rigorous and reproducible way, contributing to publications, project milestones, and internal knowledge sharing. ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS - A PhD in nanobiotechnology, nanomedicine, nanochemistry, or related areas. - Proven experience in nanoparticle/nanozyme synthesis and characterization, and in the study of enzyme-mimetic/catalytic activities. - Experience in nanobiointeraction characterizations. - A strong publication record and the ability to drive projects toward high-quality outputs. - Ability to properly organize, curate, and publish research data (including documentation, lab notebooks, and clear reporting). - Good command of spoken and written English. - Strong team-working skills in interdisciplinary settings ADDITIONAL SKILLS - Excellent communication skills (scientific writing, presentations, and cross-discipline collaboration). - Strong problem-solving attitude, with a hands-on approach to troubleshooting and method development. - Documented experience in coaching/mentoring junior scientists (students, interns, junior PhDs). - Good time and priority management in multi-task projects. - Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a challenging, international, highly interdisciplinary environment. COMPENSATION PACKAGE - A yearly gross salary ranging between 30.000 and 32.000 - Private health care coverage depending on your role and contract This open position is financed by the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia within the INAIL Nanokey Sens project (Commessa: EPTR0018, CUP: J53C24000550005) and internal budget project. - Application’s deadline: March 14th, 2026_