(Senior) Research Scientist - Protein AI

Xyme; Oxford; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Xyme, an innovative startup in Oxford, seeks a Senior Research Scientist specializing in Protein AI. You will drive the development of AI-generated enzyme design, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to enhance predictive modeling capabilities. Join us to make significant contributions to synthetic chemistry and enzyme design in a supportive and dynamic work environment.

Benefits

Continuous learning and development opportunities

Competitive compensation and benefits package

Supportive and collaborative work environment

Qualifications

• At least three years of work experience in a technical role.
• Experience with protein structure and enzyme databases.
• Solid understanding of protein AI models.

Responsibilities

• Development and benchmarking of predictive methods for protein design.
• Collaborate closely with other research scientists.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships with academic leaders.

Skills

AI protein design

Protein structure prediction

Python

Communication

Education

PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Physics or related areas

Job description

Our mission at Xyme is to solve important societal problems by revolutionizing the practice of synthetic chemistry through what we call xymes - AI-generated enzymes that can catalyze any reaction. As an innovative startup based in Oxford and Manchester, UK, we bring together interdisciplinary teams of scientists, engineers, and data specialists to push the boundaries of enzyme design. Our dynamic and collaborative work environment is fueled by a passion for innovation. We cultivate a culture of continuous learning and improvement, where every team member can make a lasting impact on our groundbreaking research and real-world applications.

As a (Senior) Research Scientist, Protein AI you will be at the forefront of our mission to catalyse the AI-generated enzyme design revolution. You will be part of an exceptional interdisciplinary team that will drive the development and implementation of our data science and predictive modelling capabilities, in collaboration with research scientists and data/ML engineers.

You will contribute to building and extending our protein AI modelling capabilities to support our enzyme design platform. This individual will work closely with data scientists, AI researchers and engineers to improve our modelling capabilities at each stage in the design process. You will combine your technical expertise with your passion for innovation, ultimately contributing to solving important societal problems.

What you will do

• Development and benchmarking of predictive methods for protein design, including (but not limited to) property prediction, desirability, sequence design, and structure generation.
• Enable development of protein design filtering and ranking capabilities, leveraging AI and physics-based methods.
• Enable development of a resilient, model agnostic platform and its continuous evolution, by following coding standards, best practices, and benchmarking processes.
• Collaborate closely with other research scientists on a daily basis and provide technical guidance to support the development of our protein design platform.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships by working with our technical leaders to identify, engage, and build beneficial relationships with key academic leaders in the field.
  
  

What you will bring

• A PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Physics or related areas.
• At least three years of work experience (or PhD equivalent) in a technical role, in agile fast-paced environments.
• Experience with AI protein design, protein structure and property prediction methods.
• Experience with protein structure and enzyme databases as well as with protein structure preparation and curation.
• Solid understanding of the various protein AI models and architectures (e.g. GNNs, diffusion modes, protein language models/transformer models, 3D models, flow-based models).
• Solid understanding of protein structure and function (e.g. protein-ligand interactions, enzymes, catalytic sites).
• Proficiency with Python and its ecosystem for software development and compute infrastructure.
• Strong communication skills, a passion to innovate and to contribute to a positive team culture and healthy work environment.
• A deep interest in our mission to revolutionise the way enzymes are designed.
  
  

Nice to have

• Experience with physics-based AI/modelling including (but not limited to) conditioning and model bias.
• Experience with pre-training, refinement, fine-tuning, distilling, inference and scaling models to multi-GPU set ups and experience with method validation and benchmarking.
• A strong publication track record in the field of protein AI modelling.
  
  

What you will get from us

• The opportunity to work on groundbreaking technology with real-world impact, making significant contributions to synthetic chemistry and enzyme design.
• A supportive and collaborative work environment that nurtures creativity and innovation, providing genuine ownership and autonomy.
• Continuous learning and development opportunities, including the chance to attend and present at relevant conferences and industry events.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package commensurate with your skills and experience.