Protein Design Intern - Computational Biology in AgTech

Syngenta Seeds; Durham (NC); On-site; USD 33,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Syngenta Seeds invites applications for a Protein Design Intern in Durham, NC, joining a high-performance scientific team focused on computational protein design for agricultural biotechnology. You will gain hands-on experience within Syngenta's Emerging Talent Program, applying your academic knowledge to real-world challenges and developing professional skills.

The role emphasizes building workflows, analyzing protein structures, and collaborating with scientists to refine strategies while

Qualifications

• Current MS or PhD student in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Structural Biology, or a related field.
• Proficiency in Python and/or R for bioinformatics (PyRosetta a plus).
• Familiarity with protein structure prediction methods (AlphaFold2, ESMFold, Boltz).
• Familiarity with protein structure visualization (PyMOL or ChimeraX).
• Experience with Linux/Unix command-line environments.
• Knowledge of sequence analysis tools (BLAST, alignment methods).
• Ability to work with large datasets and implement reproducible computational workflows.
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Apply structural bioinformatics methods to discover novel proteins.
• Develop computational workflows that integrate sequence- and structure-based search algorithms to identify and rank protein candidates.
• Leverage protein structure-based search workflows using tools such as FoldSeek, ESMFold, and Boltz.
• Perform structural analysis and annotation of protein candidates.
• Develop Python/Bash scripts for data processing and visualization.
• Document workflows, create user guides, and present findings to cross-functional teams.
• Collaborate with other scientists to refine research strategies based on biological insights.
• Share results and learnings at team meetings and educate team members on workflows and results.

Skills

Python

R

PyRosetta

Linux/Unix CLI

FoldSeek

ESMFold

PyMOL

ChimeraX

BLAST

Education

MS or PhD student in Bioinformatics/Computational Biology/Structural Biology

Tools

AWS

Job description

Syngenta Seeds invites applications for a Protein Design Intern in Durham, NC, joining a high-performance scientific team focused on computational protein design for agricultural biotechnology. You will gain hands-on experience within Syngenta's Emerging Talent Program, applying your academic knowledge to real-world challenges and developing professional skills.

The role emphasizes building workflows, analyzing protein structures, and collaborating with scientists to refine strategies while