(Senior) Research Scientist - Structural Bioinformatics

Xyme; Oxford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a pioneering startup on a mission to revolutionize synthetic chemistry through AI-generated enzymes. As a Senior Research Scientist in Structural Bioinformatics, you will collaborate with a talented interdisciplinary team to develop cutting-edge predictive methods and workflows for enzyme design. This role offers the chance to work on impactful technology, contributing to significant advancements in the field. You will be empowered in a supportive environment that values innovation and continuous learning, making your work not only rewarding but also essential in addressing important societal challenges. If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of science and technology, this opportunity is for you.

Benefits

Supportive work environment

Continuous learning opportunities

Competitive compensation

Ownership and autonomy in projects

Qualifications

• PhD in Structural Bioinformatics or related areas with a computational focus.
• 3+ years of experience in technical roles within agile environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize computational methods for biomolecular structure analysis.
• Curate structural bioinformatics datasets and develop enzyme-specific databases.

Skills

Protein Structure Analysis

Computational Methods Development

Python Programming

AI and Machine Learning

Structural Bioinformatics

Data Curation

Communication Skills

Collaboration

Education

PhD in Structural Bioinformatics

Tools

Rosetta

Git

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, Structural Bioinformatics 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 predictive and analytical method development, protein structure preparation and curation, in collaboration with research scientists and data/ML engineers. This role will enable capacity building in enzyme design, property prediction and desirability metrics, which will support design prioritisation and ranking. This individual will work closely with AI researchers, data scientists and engineers to establish structural bioinformatics capabilities. You will combine your technical expertise with your passion for innovation, ultimately contributing to solving important societal problems.

What you will do

• Design, implement, and optimise computational methods for predicting and analysing biomolecular structures, including proteins, and protein-ligand complexes.

• Build and maintain robust workflows for high-throughput structural analyses and visualisation, ensuring efficiency and reproducibility.

• Curate and maintain structural bioinformatics datasets, including experimental and predicted structures and contribute to the development of enzyme-specific databases and repositories.

• Assist with development and benchmarking of predictive methods for protein design, including but not limited to property prediction and desirability.

• Support development of protein design filtering and ranking capabilities, leveraging AI and physics-based methods.

• 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 Structural Bioinformatics or related areas, with a strong computational focus.

• At least three years of work experience in a technical role, in agile fast-paced environments.

• Experience with protein structure and enzyme databases as well as with protein structure preparation and curation.

• Experience with structure-based method development, from inception to deployment.

• Solid understanding of protein structure and function (e.g, protein-ligand interactions, enzymes, catalytic sites).

• Experience with physics-based protein analysis and characterisation methods (e.g., Rosetta).

• 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 method development, validation and benchmarking.

• Experience with protein structure prediction, mutagenesis analysis and property prediction methods.

• Familiarity with state-of-the-art deep learning architectures including, but not limited to, diffusion models, flow-based models, protein language models/transformer, GNNs.

• A strong publication track record in the field of structural bioinformatics.

• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git) and best practices for scientific software development.

• Experience with HPC and cloud environments.

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.