Postdoctoral Associate in Computational Chemistry - University of Florida

Postdoctoral Associate in Computational Chemistry

The Perez Lab at the Department of Chemistry, University of Florida (UF), Gainesville, FL invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate position in Computational Chemistry. The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Prof. Alberto Perez (https://perez.chem.ufl.edu/), focusing on the study of BET proteins, the complexes it forms with different peptide epitopes, and identifying new viral and host protein-protein interactions involving BET proteins.

Successful candidates shall have strong background in Molecular Dynamics, enhanced sampling techniques and complex analysis (e.g., Markov State Models) as well as in AI. Depending on the candidate the position can lean more towards application or methodological development. The Postdoctoral Researcher will also be expected to mentoring graduate students, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and assisting funding applications. If they are looking for broader impacts, we have been developing new curriculum for undergraduate labs and for high school students using Virtual Reality to introduce molecular modeling. We collaborate with the College of Precollegiate educations (CPET) hosting high school students for two months during the summer.

About the Perez Lab

Our group specializes in developing and applying integrative structural biology tools to understand the structures and mechanisms of action of biomolecules. The current research on the ET domain of BET proteins is a collaborative effort with the Montelione and Roth labs, which brings expertise in NMR, biochemical assays, and virology. Recent research has led to the experimental validation of two novel peptide epitopes predicted from using our computational pipelines to analyze pull-down experiment data.

The University of Florida, ranked as the #6 public university in United States, is the state’s oldest, one of the largest, most comprehensive, highest-quality public research universities in the country. UF is a land grant, sea grant, and space grant university and home to the most comprehensive university health sciences facilities in the southeast.

UF is located in Gainesville, a city of approximately 150,000 residents in North-Central Florida,  within 1 hour drive to Atlantic Ocean and Mexico Gulf, and just 2 hours to large metropolitan areas (Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville). The beautiful climate and extensive nearby parks and recreational areas afford year-round outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and nature photography. Learn more about what Gainesville has to offer at Visit Gainesville.

Ph.D. in Chemistry, Biology, Physics or related field

The successful candidate should have a strong background in computational chemistry applied to biomolecules
Experience in molecular dynamics simulations and/or AI applied to biomolecules
Programming skills (e.g., python)
A strong track record of publications
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Ability to work independently and in a team
Ability to take initiatives, set priorities, time-manage, and resolve problem

Record of contributing to open science through active github repository with contributions to the field.

For full consideration, applications must be submitted online. Click on Apply Now at the top of this posting.  A complete application includes:

1. Your CV
2. A cover letter detailing your relevant experience and career objectives
3. The names and email addresses of three references.  An email will be sent to your references, requesting them to upload their confidential letter to the submission packet

Applications will be continuously reviewed until filled.  For questions, please contact Professor Alberto Perez (perez@chem.ufl.edu)

All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a review of criminal records, reference checks, and verification of education.

The selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an educational institution outside of the United States require evaluation by a professional credentialing service provider approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/.

The Department of Chemistry is committed to promoting an environment that welcomes all abilities, classes, ethnicities/races, gender identities and expressions. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service.