Postdoc, Protein Sequence Function Measurements

National Institute of Standards and Technology; Gaithersburg (MD); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

National Institute of Standards and Technology invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate in the Protein Sequence Function Measurements program in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The role focuses on scaling protein sequence–function measurements to enable predictive models linking sequence to function.

The successful candidate will design experiments, analyze data, and publish results; collaboration across disciplines and travel for conferences is expected.

Qualifications

• PhD in a related scientific field.
• Experience with E. coli.
• Experience characterizing protein function or biophysical properties.
• Interdisciplinary research experience, especially in data-driven biology.
• Willingness to travel occasionally.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Conduct large-scale measurements of protein sequence–function relationships.
• Design and execute experiments, analyze data, and interpret results.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.
• Write and publish manuscripts.
• Present findings at conferences and institutional meetings.

Skills

E. coli experience

Protein function characterization

Interdisciplinary research

Oral and written communication

Education

Doctoral degree in chemical engineering, protein engineering, bioengineering, cell biology, chemistry, physics, synthetic biology, or related field

Tools

Python

Job description

Postdoc, Protein Sequence Function Measurements

The Material Measurement Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is seeking qualified candidates (U.S. citizens preferred) to contribute to cutting-edge research projects aimed at collecting massive protein function measurements in service of developing a new generation of predictive models linking sequence to function. A successful applicant will join a dynamic, multidisciplinary team working with cutting-edge automation facilities in the NIST Living Measurement Systems Foundry (LMSF). They will contribute to a growing national and international collaborative effort to generate and use very large-scale, AI-ready biological data.

Duties

• Conduct innovative research in developing large-scale measurements of protein sequencefunction relationships.
• Design and execute experiments, analyze data, and interpret results.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.
• Write and publish manuscripts for peer-reviewed and open-science mediums.
• Present findings at conferences and institutional meetings.

Required Skills, Expertise, and Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in chemical engineering, protein engineering, bioengineering, cell biology, chemistry, physics, synthetic biology, or a related field.
• Experience working with E. coli.
• Experience characterizing protein function and/or biophysical properties.
• Experience in interdisciplinary research or field-building efforts, particularly within datadriven biology.
• The ability to travel occasionally for conferences and collaboration.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.

Other Desirable Qualifications

• Experience with scientific data analysis using Python.

Employment Terms

This opportunity is to be an associate researcher for a term of 1 year, with options to renew. Associate researchers are NOT Federal Employees, but they work aside NIST researchers and with NIST’s world-class instrumentation. Relocation expenses will not be provided. U.S. citizens hired into the associate position may have opportunities for longer term Federal Employment.