Postdoctoral Research Position - Li Lab

University of California - Irvine; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 69,073 - 82,836; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious research university in California is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar for a position focused on Integrated Computational-Experimental Enzyme Engineering. Interested candidates must have a Ph.D. in a related field with expertise in enzyme engineering and protein design. The program emphasizes mechanistic enzyme engineering and the application of AI/ML tools to advance biocatalysts. Successful applicants will work under the supervision of Dr. Han Li and will focus on high-throughput screening and enzyme design methodologies.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in enzyme engineering and protein design.
• Experience in both computational and experimental domains is preferred.
• Interest in bridging theory, AI/ML tools, and experimental implementation.

Responsibilities

• Advance biocatalysts through computational and experimental methods.
• Develop screening and selection platforms in enzyme engineering.
• Focus on integrated enzyme mining and design approaches.

Skills

Enzyme engineering

Protein design

Strong organization skills

Communication skills

Education

Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computational Biology, or a related field

Job description

Position Overview

Salary range: $69,073-$82,836 depending on experience. The posted UC salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See Table [link] for reference.

Application Window

Open date: March 2, 2026

Next review date: Wednesday, Apr 1, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Monday, Mar 1, 2027 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Position Description

Postdoctoral Research Position

Position: Postdoctoral Scholar

Salary: Depends on experience

Starting date: July 1, 2026 (preferred)

The Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Irvine invites applicants for a Postdoctoral Scholar to join Dr. Han Li's laboratory of Metabolic Engineering and Synthetic Biology.

This postdoctoral position is available in the area of Integrated Computational-Experimental Enzyme Engineering, focused on advancing biocatalysts through tightly coupled in silico design and high-throughput experimental validation.

Research Focus

Sequence- and structure-based enzyme mining and design

• Homology-based discovery, SSN-guided mining, and ML-assisted sequence exploration
• Structure-guided active-site remodeling and conformational engineering
• De novo and semi-rational enzyme design

Directed evolution theory and workflow development

• Library design strategies (focused, combinatorial, and machine-learning-guided)
• Evolutionary trajectory analysis and fitness landscape modeling
• Integration of predictive algorithms with experimental iteration cycles

High-throughput screening and selection platform development

• Microplate, droplet, cell-free, or growth-coupled systems
• UPLC, LC, and GC-MS based screening assay development
• Automation and data-driven optimization

Biochemistry and Chemical biology

• Design, synthesis, and interface biology with small molecules
• Enzyme kinetics characterization and mechanistic enzymology

Biocatalytic process development and translation

• Cell-free and whole-cell systems
• Kinetic and thermodynamic analysis
• Scalability and industrial feasibility

The program emphasizes mechanistically informed enzyme engineering, quantitative design principles, and translational relevance. We value candidates who are intellectually rigorous and interested in bridging theory, AI/ML tools, and state-of-the-art computational protein design methods with experimental implementation.

Qualifications

Required:

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Computational Biology, or a related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in enzyme engineering, protein design, or related areas as closely related to the research areas mentioned above. Experience spanning both computational and experimental domains is preferred.
• Strong organization and communication skills.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact information for at least 3 references to our online RECRUIT system at (application link).

Application Requirements

Document requirements:

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• Reflective Teaching and Mentoring Statement - See our guidance for writing a reflective teaching statement. (Optional)

Reference requirements: 3 required (contact information only).

Apply link: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF10062

About UC Irvine

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC anti-discrimination policy.
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Job location

Irvine, CA