Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Department / School of Engineering

Organisation/Company Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Department / School of Engineering Department Engineering Research Field Technology Biotechnology Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions Research Support Positions Application Deadline 19 Oct 2026 - 23:59 (Europe/Madrid) Country Spain Type of Contract Other Type of Contract Extra Information Indefinite according to article 23 bis of the “Llei 17/2022, de 5 de setembre, per la qual es modifica la Llei 14/2011, d'1 de juny, de la ciència, la tecnologia i la innovació Job Status Part‑time Hours Per Week 30 Offer Starting Date 2 Oct 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - ERC Reference Number ERC-2021-COG-101044828 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

The area of Biomechanics & Mechanobiology (SIMBIOSys-BMMB) of the research unit BCN MedTech, at the Department of Communication and Information Technologies (DTIC) of the University Pompeu Fabra (UPF) offers a one-year research support position, in the context of the European Research Council Consolidator Grant (ERC CoG) O-Health (101044828). The successful candidate will continue the development of an existing systems biology model of articular cartilage regulation in healthy and osteoarthritic knee joints. The spatial mapping of cell-cell communications will be targeted, considering the cascade of events and feedback loops between synovitis and articular cartilage damage over time, and the model will be fed with patient -omics data.

Tasks to be performed:

- Validate, with experimental cell culture data,



a coupled systems biology - finite element multiscale model that simulates the collective regulation of articular cartilage chondrocyte regulation, at the tissue level (RP1)
- Extensive review of the biological literature and databases, to strengthen the validation of chondrocytes mechano-sensitive regulatory network models through falsification tests (RP1)
- Generate a web-friendly simulator of the validated regulatory model, by using SBML standard (RP2)
- Exploit the multiscale model to interpret the impact of synovitis on the articular cartilage, in the lights of clinical data, by integrating proteomics measurements of patient’s synovial fluids (RP3)

Group and complement: Group 3 + Level u

Dedication and working hours: Part time (30 h/week)

Planned remuneration approx: 25691.12 € / gross per year

Financing fund: ERC Consolidator Grant O-Health (ERC-2021-COG-101044828)

Selection criteria: The selection of the candidates will be made through evaluation of the curriculum and, where appropriate, with the carrying out a test and/or interview. Valuation will be as follows:

- Bachelor in Biomedical Engineering
- At least two years of contrastable experience in multiscale and systems biology modelling applied to human joint systems
- Good capacity to disseminate science in English, contrasted through previous scientific publications and participation in scientific congress, and during a possible interview
- Proficient Spanish and/or Catalan, for fluid communication with the clinical collaborators of the project, contrasted during a possible interview

The minimum score to pass the selection process is 75 points. The candidate with the highest score in the selection process will be offered the job.

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📌 Eng-psr-cac-2026-38 - specialist support technician (España)
🏢 Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Department / School of Engineering
📍 España