Scientific Programmer—Computational Protein Design and Engineering

20.08.2026, Academic staff

We are looking for an experienced scientist (m/f/d) with knowledge of computational protein design and engineering to be part of the AI Core Unit of the BioSysteM Cluster of Excellence, as soon as possible. The position is situated at the Cluster of Excellence and is therefore tied to its duration until December 31, 2032.

The BioSysteM Cluster of Excellence is an international research network in which scientists from Munich's two universities, the Helmholtz Zentrum Munich and the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, collaborate on an interdisciplinary basis. Since January 1, 2026, the cluster is funded by the DFG as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments, with TUM serving as the administering university. The aim of BioSysteM to learn how to design and control biological systems in a targeted manner.  

An integral part of BioSysteM is the AI Core Unit, a cross-institutional support unit. This unit aims to make machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) accessible to the members of the Cluster of Excellence, as well as contribute to its development. The unit will establish central services that enable the efficient application of AI tools within the cluster. In addition to the head, this Core Unit comprises a small team of experienced research associates.

A key responsibility of the unit is the precise organization, harmonization, and exchange of research data, which will drive the application of ML approaches. Defining standards and databases for experimental protocols and digital workflows will be of critical importance, particularly for the establishment of a repository for validated lab protocols.

As a central member of this unit, we are looking for an expert in computational protein design and engineering. This person needs to be knowledgeable in common pipelines and workflows. Based on their technical experience, this scientific programmer will assist the implementation and execution of computational protein design or engineering campaigns in collaboration with members of BioSysteM. To enable the implementation of these solutions, this expert will have the computational infrastructure of the Core Unit at their disposal.

·       PhD in Bioinformatics, Structural Biology, Biophysics, Biochemistry, or related fields

·       Experience in computational protein design and/or engineering

·       Solid knowledge of scientific software engineering

·       Experience with some (ideally all) of the following software packages: RFdiffusion, ProteinMPNN, Rosetta, AlphaFold

·       Experience in conducting (ideally managing), interdisciplinary research projects and communication

·       Know-how in the administration of computational infrastructure for the purpose of computational protein design/engineering

This scientific programmer will be responsible for the development and implementation of computational workflows for protein design and engineering. They will oversee and support the execution of these projects, and administrate the available hardware. Key responsibilities are: 

·       Perform lab visits to consult, discuss and identify specific needs and opportunities for the application of protein design/engineering

·       Work in close collaboration with Protein Design Accelerator Technology Hub, which is also part of BioSysteM, and located in close vicinity at the same campus

·       Provide introductory courses for the computational workflows in this domain

·       Work closely with scientists to develop advanced computational workflows, with the prospect of taking a leading role in some of these projects

·       Advise and support researchers in their protein design/engineering tasks

·       Administration of hardware and software to be used in the protein design/engineering domain: The hired scientific programmer will have hardware at their disposal, which should be usable for members of BioSysteM

·       Research data management: Develop and monitor data harmonization within the cluster with respect to protein design/engineering (in collaboration with the Data Stewards of BioSysteM)

·       Connect researchers working on similar problems and involve external experts (via the AI Advisory Board of BioSysteM, and the Munich Data Science Institute, MDSI) 

We offer a full-time position as academic staff with the opportunity to work within a team of experts (domain specialists) in the AI Core Unit. The AI Core Unit is embedded in an excellent research environment and comes with outstanding, independently managed equipment and resources. The position will be limited to the funding period of BioSysteM. Payment will be based on the Collective Agreement for the Civil Service of the Länder (TV-L).

TUM strives to raise the proportion of women in its workforce and explicitly encourages applications from qualified women. The position is suitable for disabled persons. Disabled applicants will be given preference in case of generally equivalent suitability, aptitude and professional performance.

Ÿ  If you are interested in working in our team, please send your application together with a strong CV and supporting documentation in one single pdf to [email protected] (by 6 Sept the latest)

Ÿ  Do not hesitate to contact [email protected] in case of any questions.

Ÿ  Find out more about us at www.biosystem.design

The position is suitable for disabled persons. Disabled applicants will be given preference in case of generally equivalent suitability, aptitude and professional performance.

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Kontakt: [email protected]