Scientific Database Curator

European Bioinformatics Institute; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 41,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension

Private medical insurance

30 days leave

Relocation package

Job summary

The European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) in Cambridge invites applications for a Scientific Database Curator in the Protein Function Content Team to help maintain UniProt as a leading protein knowledge resource. You will work at the interface of structural biology, biocuration and bioinformatics, coordinating data integration with PDBe and other partners.

The role includes developing pipelines with PDB, AlphaFold DB, and 3D-Beacons, curating entries with structural data, and contributing

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in structural biology required.
• Strong understanding of structural biology and ability to interpret literature.
• Excellent communication and English language skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain pipelines between UniProt and structural biology resources (PDB, AlphaFold DB, 3D-Beacons).
• Coordinate data exchange to integrate protein structure information into UniProt releases.
• Curate UniProt entries with structural data, focusing on key structures.
• Collaborate with UniProt curation and development teams, PDBe and other partners.
• Participate in UniProt training and communication activities.
• Engage in EMBL-EBI-wide training and activities.

Skills

English proficiency

Attention to detail

Analytical skills

Team collaboration

Independent work

Education

PhD or MSc in structural biology

Tools

Python

R

Job description

Your role

Join the UniProt at EMBL-EBI as a Scientific Database Curator in the Protein Function Content Team EMBL-EBI and help maintain one of the world’s leading protein knowledge resources used by researchers worldwide.

UniProt provides expertly curated protein sequence and functional information, including structural data from key resources such as the PDB, AlphaFold DB, and the 3D-Beacons Network. These data support biological discovery, structural biology, drug discovery, functional annotation, and biomedical research by making high-quality protein knowledge accessible through expert curation, integrated data resources, and programmatic services.

We are seeking a Scientific Database Curator with a strong background in structural biology to contribute to the integration, curation, and maintenance of protein structure information in UniProt.

In this role, you will work at the interface of structural biology, biocuration, and bioinformatics, helping to connect experimentally determined and predicted protein structures with high-quality UniProt protein annotations. You will collaborate closely with expert biocurators and developers in UniProt, PDBe, and other structural biology partners to support robust workflows and the timely incorporation of structural data into UniProt releases. You will also contribute to UniProt training and communication activities.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Involvement in the development and maintenance of pipelines between UniProt and key structural biology resources, including the PDB, AlphaFold DB, and the 3D-Beacons Network
• Taking the lead to ensure the integration of protein structure information into UniProt by coordinating data/information exchange with key collaborators according to the UniProt release cycle
• Curation of UniProt protein entries with structural data, with a particular focus on newly available and biologically important structures
• Effective collaboration within the UniProt curation and development teams at EMBL-EBI, with the wider UniProt Consortium, and with PDBe and other structural biology partners
• Participation in UniProt training and communication activities, including activities that promote the use and understanding of UniProt structural data
• Participation in EMBL-EBI-wide training and activities (e.g. AI-assisted biocuration forum)

You will have

• A PhD or MSc in structural biology, or a related life science discipline
• Strong understanding of structural biology and the ability to interpret complex scientific literature
• Ability to work with structured data and attention to detail
• Strong organisational and analytical skills
• Strong interest in intelligent use of AI
• Familiarity with biological databases or/and bioinformatics resources, and bioinformatic analyses
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in an international team
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and English language skills

You may also have

• Experience with biocuration and/or annotation of biological databases
• Experience with ontologies and controlled vocabularies (e.g. Gene Ontology)
• Experience using bioinformatics tools or scripting languages (e.g. Python or R)
• Experience in text mining, natural language processing, or AI-assisted literature analysis
• Experience collaborating in international scientific projects or consortia

Contract length

Project-based, 3 year fixed-term Staff Member contract, with possibility for extension subject to the availability of grant-funding.

Salary

Salary: Grade 4 or Grade 5, depending on qualification level - Monthly salary starting at £3,202.52 per month (grade 4) or £3,452.05 (grade 5) after tax but excluding pension and insurance contributions. Plus, generous benefits.

Why join us

Do something meaningful

At EMBL-EBI you can apply your talent and passion to accelerate science and tackle some of humankind's greatest challenges. EMBL-EBI, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is a worldwide leader in the storage, analysis and dissemination of large biological datasets. We provide the global research community with access to publicly available databases and tools which are crucial for the advancement of healthcare, food security, and biodiversity.

Join a culture of innovation

We are located on the Wellcome Genome Campus, alongside other prominent research and biotech organisations, and surrounded by beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside. This is a highly collaborative and inclusive community where our employees enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. We are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their professional potential.

Watch this video to see how EMBL-EBI makes an impact.

Enjoy lots of benefits

• Financial incentives: Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances
• Flexible working arrangements - including hybrid working patterns
• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)
• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition public holidays
• Relocation package including installation grant (if required)
• Campus life: Free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)
• Family benefits: On-site nursery, 10 days of child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
• Benefits for non-UK residents: Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance.

For detailed information please visit our employee benefits page here.

What else you need to know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Please take a look at our International Applicants page for further information.
• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here.
• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and/or any other diverse backgrounds.