1-2 Postdoctoral positions in Computational Biochemistry

Published: 2021-03-18

Uppsala University is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a strong international standing. Our ultimate goal is to conduct education and research of the highest quality and relevance to make a long-term difference in society. Our most important assets are all the individuals whose curiosity and dedication make Uppsala University one of Sweden’s most exciting workplaces. Uppsala University has over 45,000 students, more than 7,000 employees and a turnover of around SEK 7 billion.

The Department of Chemistry – BMC

is located at the Uppsala Biomedical Centre campus. It belongs to the Faculty of Science and Technology and conducts research in biochemistry, organic chemistry and analytical chemistry. The research is focused on catalysis, molecular recognition, structure and dynamics of complex molecular systems, and relationships between the presence of biomolecules and synthetic chemical compounds with various disease states. The creative and research-intense environment contributes to a broad knowledge-base as well as cutting-edge expertise.

The Kamerlin group seeks up highly-motivated candidates with a strong background in computational chemistry and/or computational biology to fulfill two Post-Doc positions in our team. We are an international and interdisciplinary team of dedicated scientists who come from different backgrounds to study biochemical problems such as enzyme evolution, and structure-function-dynamics relationships in biomolecular systems, as well as fundamental problems in physical organic chemistry, using a range of advanced computational tools. Examples of current systems / projects of interest include studying the role of loop dynamics in protein evolution, allosteric regulation of GTPases, protein-DNA recognition, and the design of new enzymes for water decontamination, plastics degradation and natural product synthesis. Where relevant to solving problems of interest to us, we also engage in methodology development. These positions are funded by a range of sources including the Swedish Research Council and the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation. The work is centered on the use of computational tools to understand and guide the evolution of new enzyme functions, with a particular focus on biocatalytic applications. However, the focus of each project can be adjusted to fit the expertise of the successful candidate. More details about our team, and our research interests, can be found on the lab website: http://www.kamerlinlab.com.

Duties/Project description: This is a full-time research position that also includes mentorship of junior researchers. The position will include international travel to conferences and meetings with collaborators, when the circumstances allow. From a scientific perspective, this position will involve computational integration of simulation and experimental data using a range of molecular simulation tools, including both conventional and enhanced molecular dynamics simulations, empirical valence bond and QM/MM simulations, free energy calculations, as well as structural bioinformatics tools. You are encouraged to take responsibility for the execution of your project and to contribute creatively to our team’s research program.

Qualifications required: To be eligible to apply for this position you must fulfill all the qualifications required below, and ideally possess one or more of the additional desirable skills.

• PhD in a STEM discipline* of relevance to the position (as evaluated by the employer), with strong abilities in computational chemistry and/or computational biology, with experience in one or more of the techniques used in the Kamerlin lab (see Duties, above).
• Either: (1) experience in modeling enzyme reaction mechanisms and/or enzyme function-dynamics relationships, in particular in the context of understanding enzyme evolution or for biocatalytic applications, or (2) experience in using enhanced sampling approaches (such as replica exchange or metadynamics) to study biomolecular systems, with particular preference given to studies of the role of conformational dynamics in enzyme engineering or evolution.
• Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English, as well as publications of a high scientific standard (assessed according to the DORA principles, see https://sfdora.org/read/).
• Good collaborative skills, such as working with others or in a team.

Emphasis will also be placed on personal skills. In this case, we place particular weight on the ability to work as part of a team and a positive attitude towards mobility. The applicant will be responsible for a part of a larger project, and the ability to work independently and to take responsibility will be required.

Note that attention will be paid to not just overall scientific achievements, but scientific achievements relative to career stage and years of research experience.

All qualifying requirements will be assessed by interview as well as personal references.

*To be considered for this position you should have earned your PhD degree less than three years before the application deadline. Exceptions can be made for parental leave, military service etc.  

Additional desirable qualifications: We are interested in computational evaluation and evolution of laboratory engineered enzymes, and experience in this field is desirable.

Application: The application must include a CV, full publication list, copies of diplomas and certificates, contact details of two references, and a personal letter including a short description of research interests. The application will be evaluated based on the following criteria: Appropriate education and work/research in related fields. Emphasis will also be placed on personal skills.

Salary: According to individual qualifications.

Starting date: September 1st, according to mutual agreement.

Type of employment: Temporary employment of two years.

Scope of employment: 100 %

For further information about the position please contact: Lynn Kamerlin (lynn.kamerlin@kemi.uu.se).

Please submit your application by April 30, 2021, UFV-PA 2021/1027.

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