Job Advertisement: Researcher in AI-Based Protein Design

Lund University was founded in 1666 and is consistently ranked as one of the world's leading universities. There are approximately 47,000 students and more than 8,800 employees in Lund, Helsingborg, and Malmö. We unite in our efforts to understand, explain, and improve our world and human conditions.

Lund University welcomes applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. Gender equality, equal opportunities, and diversity are fundamental principles for all parts of our operations.

Workplace Description

The Saragovi lab is part of the Department of Applied Biochemistry at the Chemical Center and conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of protein design, AI, and materials science.

The group develops AI-based methods to design protein assemblies that control the formation of inorganic materials, such as semiconductors and magnetic materials, with the goal of understanding how structural information is transferred from biological to non-biological systems.

The activities are strongly integrated with CMPS and NanoLund and are located at Kemicentrum in Lund. The group currently consists of master's students and research interns and will grow with PhD students and postdocs. The work takes place in a design-build-test pipeline where computational modeling and experimental validation are closely linked, in an inclusive and supportive research environment.

The lab has access to extensive computational resources, high-throughput instruments, and advanced facilities for semiconductor characterization via NanoLund. More information can be found at saragovi.science (https://saragovi.science) and nano.lu.se (https://www.nano.lu.se).

We Offer

Lund University is a government authority, which means you receive special benefits, generous vacation, and a favorable occupational pension.

We offer an opportunity to develop a strong foundation in modern protein design within the rapidly growing field of hierarchical materials engineering. The position provides practical experience with AI-driven protein design pipelines, experimental workflows for protein-inorganic assemblies, and access to advanced infrastructure at Kemicentrum and NanoLund. For motivated candidates, the role can also serve as a valuable transition period before a future PhD position in the group or within Lund University at large.

Read more on the university's website about being employed with us Work with us (https://www.lu.se/jobb).

Responsibilities and Duties

The tasks include developing and integrating computational and experimental tools for the design of hierarchical protein-inorganic materials. You will work at the intersection of AI-driven protein design, high-throughput biochemistry, and material characterization.

You will have particular responsibility for:

• Adjusting and optimizing reinforcement learning models and scripts for symmetric placement to support new design pipelines for hierarchical protein-inorganic systems.
• Developing and applying computational pipelines for de novo design of conductive twisted nanotubes and related protein-metal architectures.
• Establishing and driving high-throughput biochemical workflows for screening, validation, and characterization of designed protein assemblies.
• Performing experimental workflows, including protein expression, purification, biophysical analyses, and analysis of protein-inorganic templating.
• Collaborating with partner groups for advanced structural characterization (e.g., TEM, cryo-EM, spectroscopy) and functional characterization (e.g., electrical, optical, or magnetic measurements).
• Documenting and communicating results and contributing to the lab's iterative design-build-test cycle.

Qualifications

Requirements for the position are:

• You have a master's degree in biotechnology, molecular biology, computational biology, or a related field.
• You have experience with computational protein design pipelines, including practical use of RFdiffusion and ProteinMPNN.
• You have solid programming skills in Python and work fluently in a Linux environment.
• You have practical laboratory experience with high-throughput expression and purification of proteins.
• You have the ability to work independently, plan experiments, and document your results clearly.
• You have good collaboration skills and can contribute effectively in interdisciplinary teams.
• You have good communication skills in English, both orally and in writing.

Desirable for the position are:

• It is an advantage if you have experience in high-throughput biochemistry, including expression, growth, and purification pipelines in 96- or 384-well plates.
• It is an advantage if you have experience in developing or maintaining AI-based protein design workflows.
• It is beneficial if you have experience running molecular dynamics simulations (MD), for example with GROMACS or transition path sampling (TPS) to analyze structural changes over time.
• Experience contributing to collaborative research is an asset.
• Relevant courses, training, or certifications in protein engineering, machine learning, or computational chemistry are considered advantageous.

Consideration will be given to how the applicant, through their experience and competence, is assessed to complement and strengthen the administrative work within the department/institution and contribute to its future development.

Other

The position is a full-time temporary employment starting on February 1, 2026, and lasting until June 1, 2026, or by agreement, but not longer than this date.

How to Apply

The application should include a CV and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in the position and how the position matches your qualifications. The application should also include a diploma or equivalent and any other documents you wish to submit (copies of grades, references, recommendation letters, etc.).

Welcome with your application!

LTH – Lund University Faculty of Engineering – is the engineering faculty at Lund University. At LTH, we educate people, build knowledge for the future, and work hard to develop society. We create space for brilliant research and inspire creative development of technology, architecture, and design. Nearly 10,000 students study here. Each year, our researchers – many of whom work in world-leading profile areas – publish around 100 dissertations and 2,000 scientific findings. A number of research results and student projects are refined into innovations. Together we explore and create – for the benefit of the world.

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