Junior Computational Protein Engineer
Are you a Computational Protein Engineer driven to design next-generation enzymes and antibodies for next-gen industrial and medical applications?At SynSilico, we develop and apply cutting-edge computational methods and AI-powered technologies to accelerate proteininnovation. We are looking for a talented Junior Computational Protein Engineer to strengthen our technological leadership and expand our portfolio of protein design projects.Join our highly motivated and international team at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus and contribute to shaping the future of AI-powered protein engineering.
The Challenge
As a Junior Computational Protein Engineer at SynSilico, you will work at the intersection of protein science, machine learning, and software development. Your challenge is to translate cutting-edge AI and computational methods into robust, scalable tools that enable the rational design of proteins for real-world applications under the guidance of our Director Protein of Protein and Drug Design.
In this role, you will:
Advance Computational Protein Design Platforms
Contribute to the development and application of SynSilico’s in-house computational tools for enzyme and antibody engineering.
Integrate AI and Molecular Modeling
Apply and adapt modern AI/ML approaches—such as structure prediction, sequence optimization, and data-driven modeling—together with physics- and structure-based methods to solve complex protein design challenges.
End-to-End Development Ownership
Participate in the full development lifecycle of computational solutions, from concept and algorithm design to implementation, validation, and industrial deployment.
Collaborate Across Disciplines
Work closely with protein scientists, data scientists, software engineers, and customers to translate biological questions into computational strategies and actionable solutions.
What we offer
- : We offer a competitive initial salary in the range of €45-k to €55-k per year, based on a full-time position, depending on your level of experience. Additionally, you will receive 38 vacation days and a solid pension contribution (16%).
- with unique opportunities to advance your experience in protein engineering, computational pipeline development and industrial implementation.
- You will interact with computational and protein experts, both within and outside SynSilico at the forefront of AI-based protein innovations.
- The working atmosphere is open, international, dynamic and stimulating.
What we ask
· you have a conscious safety and data security attitude.
· You have a degree in computational protein engineering (PHD Level desired), structural bioinformatics, computational biology, or similar with an in-depth understanding of protein structure-function relationships and computational methods. Specifically, you have expertise in all or some of these topics:
o Molecular dynamics (MD), Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM), Structure-based small molecule design, virtual screening, protein structure prediction, binding affinity prediction methods, and phylogenetic analysis.
o You are proficient in programming languages such as Python and UNIX, with experience in computational chemistry/biology software packages (e.g., OpenMM, GROMACS, PyMOL, RDKit).
· You are motivated and eager to learn with a strong drive to succeed, meaning that you are driven by taking an idea from paper all the way to commercial implementation. You show persistence when facing adversity.
· You have already demonstrated your skills on successful protein engineering examples during your PhD thesis.
· You can effectively organize and document your own work and code with a strong focus on producing reliable and reproducible results.
· You effectively communicate ideas and results internally and externally.
· You have excellent interpersonal/teamwork skills with a natural ability to communicate with people and get the best out of team efforts. You are highly motivated and eager to learn with a strong drive to succeed.
· You have a European Nationality or valid work permit for the Netherlands.
About SynSilico
SynSilico is an innovative startup delivering cutting-edge AI-based services for the life sciences. Our mission is to harness artificial intelligence and computational methods to solve complex biological challenges and accelerate innovation from concept to application. We combine deep computational expertise with real-world impact, helping our partners design better proteins, faster.
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary, Contract
Contract length: 12 months
Pay: €2.900,00 - €4.300,00 per month
Work Location: Hybrid remote in 6167 Geleen
