Head of AI Protein Design

We are seeking a Head of AI Protein Design to join our team working at the interface of generative AI and protein design. You will play a key role in shaping our scientific strategy, conceiving of and delivering on protein design campaigns as part of AI model validation and customer facing projects, whilst leading a team of computational protein designers.

This is an opportunity to help shape and grow an organization that advances artificial intelligence and applies it to longstanding scientific challenges. Using your blend of computational expertise, in-depth biochemical and structural understanding of proteins as well as cutting edge experimental techniques, you will drive our real world validation and application efforts to design for and optimize proteins. You will closely collaborate with our Frontier AI Models unit and our Experimental Platform unit.

Who you are

• You are a computational protein designer. You have a proven track record of successfully leveraging novel computational tools and your knowledge of biochemistry or structural biology to run large protein design campaigns You are routinely using computational metrics at scale in order to score designed proteins and derive insights from experimental results.
• You have deep experience with generative AI. You have deep hands-on experience using state of the art machine learning tools such as AlphaFold, RFdiffusion, ProteinMPNN or similar models. Combined with your ability to build and train machine learning models from scratch, you are able to extend those models and tune them as required.
• You seek applied impact. You have a deep understanding of the practical requirements in drug discovery, such as the functional characteristics required of biologics. Combined with your knowledge of generative models you are able to devise protein design campaigns that aim for maximum applied impact.
• You are a successful scientist. You have a PhD (or equivalent industry experience) in artificial intelligence, computational biology, bioinformatics, computer science, biochemistry, structural biology, physics, biophysics, bio/chem engineering, or a related field. Your research experience was in protein design using computational expertise.
• You are an owner. You have a proven track record of delivering successful commercial and / or academic research projects, demonstrated through publications, patents, and/or commercially impactful outcomes, as well as other contributions to the scientific community.
• You are a leader. You are a trusted leader who loves to inspire people and enable them to perform at their highest levels. You have managed interdisciplinary teams before, and have excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex scientific concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• You are a mission driven innovator. You are passionate about making a positive impact on the world, whether it's for patients, partners or beyond. You are motivated by the end goal and are flexible in adapting to different approaches and methodologies.
• You thrive in a dynamic and ambiguous environment. You excel in a fast-paced setting where goals must be achieved efficiently and urgently. You have a keen eye for creating, then optimizing processes to improve speed and repeatability. You are an advocate for lab automation, both through hardware and software.

What sets you apart (preferred but not required)

• You have a background in industry, such as experience working on R&D programs in pharma, in the areas of Biologics (e.g. antibodies).
• You have deep experience with multiple design applications, such as antibodies and enzymes.
• You have helped scale a young biotech before. You have worked in startups and helped the company grow.

Your Responsibilities

• Define and implement a roadmap of proof-of-concept strategies that will enable commercial business objectives:
  
  • Based on industry experience and deep scientific insight, propose experimental validation projects for testing our AI models.
  • Set objectives for protein design campaigns to support proof-of-concept projects and internal business objectives .
• Help to develop the protein design platform & partnerships:
  
  • Together with the CEO and Head of Business Development, shape the portfolio of capabilities for the company's protein design platform, helping to prioritize new areas and domains.
  • Collaborate closely with our Head of Business Development to cultivate strong, enduring relationships with our initial partners, ensuring their ongoing satisfaction and success.
  • Proactively seek opportunities to expand and deepen our relationships with new or existing partners, identifying areas for growth and collaboration.
• Lead and develop a high-performing computational protein design team:
  
  • Create a thriving team culture: Use your leadership skills to build a collaborative, innovative, and high-morale environment and proactively seek opportunities to ensure alignment and open communication within the team and across other departments.
  • Recruit and retain top talent: Attract exceptional computational protein design talent, and nurture their professional development.
• Leverage our proprietary generative AI models to design proteins for experimental validation:
  
  • Analyze protein design problems based on functional requirements, biochemistry, structural biology and sequence homology.
  • Generate designs using our proprietary generative AI models and optimize designs for experimental validation.
  • Coordinate with our machine learning scientists and our lab-based protein engineers to plan and optimize the design process and validation strategy.

• Leverage our proprietary data to improve our models:
  
  • Analyze and leverage our experimental results to improve the next round of designs and increase our success rate over validation rounds.
  • Collaborate with machine learning scientists to finetune and prompt our models.
• Collaboration and communication:
  
  • Be an effective interface between machine learning model development and experimental validation.
  • Analyze, interpret, and present findings to internal and external stakeholders, guiding strategic decision-making.
  • Foster a collaborative and innovative environment, proactively finding opportunities to innovate and create clarity and alignment between different units.
• Contribute to our internal computational tools:
  
  • Help to pioneer our research, by improving the way we use, serve and integrate our AI models.
  • Contribute to bespoke software and ML tools, such as for bioinformatics analysis, primer design, plate management, tracking and normalization, calibration of equipment etc.
  • Help improve our data management systems and workflows.
• Scientific excellence and self development:
  
  • Work to the highest scientific standards (publication-grade work).
  • Stay on top of relevant developments in synthetic biology.
  • Continue building your understanding of generative AI as well as expanded areas of protein and cell biology.
  • Participate in knowledge sharing, e.g. organize and present at our internal reading group.
  • Attend and present at conferences when relevant.

Apply

We offer strongly competitive compensation and benefits packages, including:

• Private health insurance
• Pension/401(K) contributions
• Generous leave policies (including gender neutral parental leave)
• Hybrid working
• Travel opportunities and more

We also offer a stimulating work environment, and the opportunity to shape the future of synthetic biology through the application of breakthrough generative models.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and we are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills.

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