The Institute of Chemical Research (IIQ) is offering a total of seven support technician posts aimed at helping young people under the age of 30 enter the workforce.
Interested candidates must meet a series of general requirements and, in certain cases, specific requirements relating to each of the posts on offer.
Eligibility criteria
The conditions set out in the call for applications include the following:
- Hold a university degree in arts, engineering, architecture or a relevant field. In the case of foreign qualifications, the relevant accreditation certificate must be provided. In the case of vocational training qualifications, hold a technician or senior technician qualification.
- Where specified for a particular post, meet the requirements regarding specific training, languages or other academic merits relevant to the post.
- Be at least 16 years of age at the time of submitting the application and under 30 years of age on the date the contract is signed.
- Be unemployed and registered as a jobseeker with the relevant Public Employment Service.
- Have no work experience as a holder of a higher qualification on the day prior to the signing of the contract. For these purposes, work experience as a holder of a higher qualification is defined as that carried out in contribution groups 1 and 2. Curricular and extracurricular work placements listed as such in one’s employment history are not considered work experience for these purposes.
- Meet the nationality and residence requirements set out in the call for applications.
- Possess the necessary functional capacity to carry out the duties associated with the post.
- Not have been dismissed from the service of any public administration following disciplinary proceedings, nor be disqualified from holding public office or positions.
This call for applications offers young graduates the opportunity to join the research community and gain professional experience at a specialist centre, whilst contributing to the development of the IIQ’s technical and research support activities.
Vacancies at the IIQ
The IIQ has advertised seven vacancies for Senior Technicians in the Manufacture of Pharmaceutical, Biotechnological and Related Products. The duties involved in each role are detailed below.
– Technical support staff for the Asymmetric Synthesis and Functional Nanosystems group (Ref. TAA2025_098_IIQ_M1)
- Medium- and large-scale synthesis of raw materials, intermediates and final compounds
- Scaling up and optimisation of bioactive compounds and structural analogues
- Systematic quality and purity control of compounds using thin-layer chromatography
- Purification of products using column chromatography, crystallisation and distillation
- Structural characterisation of synthesised compounds using spectroscopic techniques (NMR, IR, UV-Vis and polarimetry)
- Recording, documentation and ensuring the traceability of samples and associated analytical data
- Incorporation and management of compounds in the QCSIC Chem library database
- Preparation of plates and samples for biological screening assays, in coordination with IBIS
- Preparation of periodic technical reports monitoring the activities carried out
– Technical support staff for the Organometallic Molecule Design and Applications group (Ref. TAA2025_099_IIQ_M1)
- Optimisation and standardisation of procedures to improve the efficiency and sustainability of research
- The successful candidate will carry out technical support and management tasks for the DOGMA group’s research areas, contributing to the implementation of current R&D&I projects and the development of new proposals
- Technical support for experimental work, including the preparation of materials, the use and maintenance of scientific equipment, and the management of experimental data
- Administrative and financial management of research projects: monitoring milestones and justifying expenditure
- Support for the dissemination and transfer of results through the preparation of technical documentation, support for scientific publications and outreach activities
– Technical staff providing structural and functional support for proteins, including operational management of the Biointeractomics laboratory (Ref. TAA2025_100_IIQ_M1)
- Experimental Support: Preparation and preservation of biological samples (proteins and macromolecular complexes) for structural (NMR) and biophysical studies. Use of biochemistry and molecular biology techniques to study protein-protein/nucleic acid interactions, disordered proteins and post-translational modifications (phosphorylation, acetylation, etc.)
- Operational Management: Organisation of the laboratory’s day-to-day running, stock control and order management. Maintenance of scientific equipment and supervision of compliance with safety regulations and good practice
- R&D&I Management: Technical and administrative support for project documentation, data collection for scientific reports and technical coordination with scientific platforms, general services and collaborating groups
– Technical R&D staff in the ‘Organometallic Synthesis and Catalytic Applications’ research group (Ref. TAA2025_101_IIQ_M1)
- Synthesis and Purification: Preparation of organic/organometallic compounds under inert atmosphere conditions. Application of transfer techniques (cannula, syringes), purification by chromatography (column and TLC), crystallisation and management of anhydrous solvents
- Characterisation and Analysis: Preparation and acquisition of NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P) and IR spectra. Monitoring of reactions and quantitative analysis using GC and HPLC, including calibration curves and kinetic data processing
- Reactions with Gases: Safe operation of pressurised reactors and handling of gas cylinders (H₂, CO, CO₂). Design and maintenance of pressurised systems under safe conditions
- Document Management: Literature searches in specialised databases, patent searches and reference management
– Technical staff in the Glycosystems Laboratory research group (Ref. TAA2025_102_IIQ_M1)
- Synthesis: Preparation of organic molecules (carbohydrates) and functionalised dendrimers using established protocols. Monitoring of reactions via TLC and HPLC (peptides/proteins)
- Purification and Characterisation: Isolation of compounds via silica gel chromatography, size exclusion chromatography, membrane filtration or HPLC. Structural characterisation via NMR and mass spectrometry
- Laboratory Management and Maintenance: Overseeing safety procedures, solvent purification, stock control, procurement management (reagents/equipment) and equipment maintenance
- Technical Documentation: Preparation of reports and a final report detailing experimental procedures, product characterisation and bibliographical references to ensure the traceability and reproducibility of results
– Technical staff in the research group ‘Development of catalysts for processes of industrial interest’ (Ref. TAA2025_103_IIQ_M1)
- Health and Safety: Overseeing health and safety, preventive maintenance of scientific equipment and replacement of materials
- Reagent and Solvent Management: Purification of solvents (continuous distillation), quality control of starting materials, advanced inventory management and database updates
- Critical Equipment: Technical lead and manager responsible for the use of the glovebox, acting as the point of reference for this and other laboratory instruments
- Logistics: Management of material resources and the storeroom to ensure the efficiency and continuity of research programmes
– Technical staff in the ‘Biomolecular Interactions and Structural Glycobiology’ research group (Ref. TAA2025_104_IIQ_M1)
- Computational Chemistry: Performing molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Calculating spectroscopic properties and analysing interaction energies to determine bioactive conformations
- Artificial Intelligence: Managing generative deep learning models for protein-ligand co-folding. Applying machine learning to predict properties and programming code for data analysis
- Structural Biology and NMR: Protein expression in E. coli and purification via FPLC. Screening of chemothèques and study of interactions using advanced NMR techniques (STD, 19F CPMG, SHARPER and tr-NOESY)
- Analysis and Management: Data processing using Python and specialised software. Validation of computational models against experimental results and data maintenance