Junior Group Leader Position in Computational Structural Biology

The AFMB Laboratory is seeking candidates for a Junior Group Leader position with a focus on applying artificial intelligence (AI) to the field of integrative structural biology. The successful candidate will create her/his own team for developing and implementing innovative AI-based approaches to address key challenges in structural biology, including but not limited to:

 

1. Designing synthetic proteins with novel or enhanced enzymatic properties. Developing synthetic protein or biomolecule binders for therapeutic or biotechnological applications. Performing molecular docking of small molecules on therapeutic targets. Modeling macromolecular complexes in silico.

 

Environment. The AFMB is located on the Luminy campus of Aix-Marseille University (amU), at the heart of the Calanques National Park. It is surrounded by excellent research institutes with ongoing collaborations, such as the IBDM for developmental biology, the CIML for immunology, the CRCM for cancer research, and the BBF on fungal biodiversity and biotechnology, among others. The AFMB is also part of the CENTURI multidisciplinary project of excellence and the IM2B institute.

The candidate will receive a starting package of 200k euros plus salary for the project duration aiming to end on a permanent position as CNRS research director.  Administrative support for accessing national and international funding is granted. The proposed research should align with AFMB’s flagship thematic areas: virology and glycobiology.

The AFMB Laboratory provides an optimal environment to bridge in silico results with experimental work. Its state-of-the-art facilities include:

 

• MaSC: A drug screening platform. CAZy: A glycogenomics platform. PBSIM: The Marseille integrated structural biology platform, offering six core services:

1) High-throughput protein expression and purification, capable of producing thousands of proteins in parallel within weeks. 2) Eukaryotic expression systems facility for production of challenging protein targets. 3) A fully equipped biophysical analysis platform. 4) Nanobody production. 5) X-ray crystallography facility and 6) Cryo-electron microscopy facility equipped with a Glacios Thermofisher TEM.

Requirements

• A PhD degree and and experience in computational methods applied to structural biology. A strong publication track record.