Current Opportunities at Vanderbilt

The Computational Engineering of Molecules (CEM) Laboratory at Vanderbilt University is seeking an outstanding postdoctoral candidate to join a multidisciplinary team working at the interface of computational protein engineering, structural biology, and experimental molecular biology.

Research in our laboratory integrates computational and experimental approaches to understand and engineer proteins and protein-protein interactions, with applications in vaccine development, antibody engineering, and next-generation protein therapeutics. Our work combines state-of-the-art computational and AI-driven methods for protein structure prediction and design with experimental characterization and validation.

The successful candidate will contribute to projects focused on the computational design and experimental evaluation of engineered proteins and other biotherapeutics. The position combines computational and wet-lab research and is particularly suited for candidates interested in bridging protein design with experimental validation. Research activities may include protein structure prediction and design using tools such as AlphaFold, Boltz, ProteinMPNN, RFdiffusion, and Rosetta; design and optimization of protein-protein interactions; molecular cloning and construct design; recombinant protein expression and purification; and biochemical and biophysical characterization using techniques such as ELISA and biolayer interferometry (BLI).

Qualified applicants should have a PhD in Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biophysics, Bioengineering, Computational Biology, or a related discipline. Experience in one or more of the following areas is highly desirable: protein engineering and design, structural biology, computational biology, molecular modeling, machine learning for protein science, molecular cloning, recombinant protein expression and purification, antibody or antigen characterization, or biochemical and biophysical assays.

The successful candidate should be able to work independently while contributing effectively to a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary research environment. The ability to manage multiple projects and collaborations, communicate scientific results clearly, and develop new computational and experimental skills is expected.

Interested candidates should submit a CV, a brief cover letter describing their research experience, interests, and fit with the CEM Lab, and contact information for three professional references. The cover letter should highlight relevant computational and/or experimental expertise and briefly describe the candidate’s future research interests. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview and may be asked to provide additional materials or reference letters.

Please send all application materials to: cristina.e.martina@vanderbilt.edu