Postdoctoral Researcher in Protein Engineering

KU Leuven; Vlaams-Brabant; On-site; EUR 48,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

YouReCa career support

Holiday and end-of-year bonuses

Comprehensive social benefits

Job summary

KU Leuven seeks a researcher to advance enzymatic DNA synthesis by engineering a template-independent polymerase. You will perform directed evolution and structure-guided design to improve terminator acceptance and stepwise addition, benchmarking in complete synthesis cycles.

The project spans selection platforms, library construction, NGS analysis, and kinetic studies, with opportunities to publish, present results, and contribute to grant proposals.

Qualifications

• PhD in molecular biology or biochemistry (or obtained shortly before the start date)
• Experience in nucleic acid enzymology beyond PCR, plus at least one of: directed evolution and selection platforms, library construction and NGS analysis, or enzyme kinetics
• Excellent analytical skills and research integrity
• Fluent English; able to work independently and in an international team
• A proactive approach to career development (KU Leuven Individual Development Plan framework)

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize selection conditions; interpret sequencing data quantitatively
• Characterize hits biochemically, including kinetic analysis of nucleotide incorporation
• Publish and present results; contribute to grant proposals
• Direct evolution and structure-guided design to improve terminator acceptance and coupling efficiency
• Benchmark variants in complete synthesis cycles and build an industrial network for licensing or co-development

Skills

Fluent English

Independent worker

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in molecular biology or biochemistry

Tools

Nucleic acid enzymology

NGS data analysis

Directed evolution platforms

Library construction

Job description

Enzymatic DNA synthesis could deliver longer, purer and greener oligonucleotides than phosphoramidite chemistry. It requires an enzyme that is template-independent, adds exactly one nucleotide per cycle, accepts 3′-reversible terminators and withstands process conditions. This translational, KU Leuven-funded project continues the development of a recently discovered engineered hyperthermophilic polymerase with template-independent activity. You will improve it through directed evolution and structure-guided design. Your targets are terminator acceptance, coupling efficiency and control over stepwise addition, and you will benchmark variants in complete synthesis cycles.

The Pinheiro group has a well-established pipeline for engineering DNA polymerases with expanded substrate specificity. It covers automated multi-site library construction, selection platforms such as bacterial cell display, NGS-based analysis of selection outputs, and structural and computational analysis of evolved variants. You will design selection conditions, interpret sequencing data quantitatively, and characterise hits biochemically, including kinetic analysis of nucleotide incorporation. You will also help build an industrial network to license or co-develop the enzyme and ancillary technologies.

Independent, high-level research on controlled in vitro DNA synthesis. Publishing and presenting your results. Contributing to grant proposals.

Profile

• PhD in molecular biology or biochemistry (or obtained shortly before the start date)
• Demonstrated, published hands-on experience in nucleic acid enzymology beyond PCR, plus at least one of: directed evolution and selection platforms, library construction and NGS analysis, or enzyme kinetics
• Excellent analytical skills and research integrity
• Fluent English; able to work independently and in an international team
• A proactive approach to career development (KU Leuven Individual Development Plan framework)

Offer

We offer a 24 months contract in a world-class research environment, a KU Leuven salary scale with holiday and end-of-year bonuses, comprehensive social benefits, and career support through YouReCa.

Interested?

For more information please contact Prof. dr. Vitor Bernardes Pinheiro, mail: [e-mail].

KU Leuven strives for an inclusive, respectful and socially safe environment. We embrace diversity among individuals and groups as an asset. Open dialogue and differences in perspective are essential for an ambitious research and educational environment. In our commitment to equal opportunity, we recognize the consequences of historical inequalities. We do not accept any form of discrimination based on, but not limited to, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, ethnic or national background, skin colour, religious and philosophical diversity, neurodivergence, employment disability, health, or socioeconomic status. For questions about accessibility or support offered, we are happy to assist you at this email address.

location_city Locatie: Leuven