Postdoc in Computational Protein Design for Optogenetics

ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences; España; On-site; EUR 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences in Spain invites applications for a postdoctoral position in the Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology group led by Prof. Dr. Michael Krieg.

The project aims to create ultrasensitive optogenetic actuators by engineering channelrhodopsins and integrating AI-assisted design with structure-guided mutagenesis. The successful candidate will lead computational protein engineering and validate variants experimentally, in mammalian cells or via

Qualifications

• Ph.D.-equivalent in protein engineering, computational structural biology, biochemistry, biophysics, bioengineering or molecular biology.
• Experience in structure-guided or computational protein design (sequence/structure analysis, prediction, docking, simulations or AI-guided design).
• Ability to test engineered proteins through mammalian cell expression/assays or recombinant expression, purification and biochemical characterization.
• Experience in cloning and targeted mutagenesis; basic scripting/data analysis skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify structural determinants of pigment binding and energy transfer; design modified channelrhodopsin scaffolds using structure-guided and AI-assisted mutagenesis.
• Model protein–pigment interactions using structure prediction, docking and molecular simulations; select candidates for iterative design-build-test (~100 variants).
• Generate or coordinate mutant constructs and perform proof-of-concept tests in mammalian cells or via recombinant expression, purification and binding assays.
• Evaluate candidate expression, stability, pigment association and functional responses against parental-channel and pigment controls.
• Collaborate with partner teams for electrophysiological and photophysical characterization; share designs and results in reports and meetings.

Skills

Structure-guided design

Computational protein design

Molecular docking

AI-assisted design

Mammalian cell expression

Protein purification

Education

PhD in related field

Tools

Molecular docking software

Job description

ICFO - The Institute of Photonic Sciences in Spain invites applications for a postdoctoral position in the Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology group led by Prof. Dr. Michael Krieg.

The project aims to create ultrasensitive optogenetic actuators by engineering channelrhodopsins and integrating AI-assisted design with structure-guided mutagenesis. The successful candidate will lead computational protein engineering and validate variants experimentally, in mammalian cells or via