PhD Position: EVOLF Towards an AI Model of Cell-free Gene Expression in Synthetic Cells

1. Introduction

Do you want to contribute to the bottom-up construction of synthetic cells? Are you excited about the application of AI tools to predict gene expression levels across a synthetic genome? Then join our team as a PhD Candidate!

2. Job description

Future synthetic cells will require an optimised gene expression system, capable of reliable, well-controlled expression of hundreds of genes on a synthetic genome. However, we cannot predict how much and how fast proteins are produced in vitro, as we need to learn the so-called cis-regulatory code: the relationship between DNA sequence and protein levels.

The ambition of this project is to train an AI model that predicts  the cis-regulatory code for synthetic genomes (i.e. for cell-free gene expression systems) and correlates the experimental conditions within the synthetic cell (crowding, concentration of nutrients, size of liposome, etc.) with gene expression levels across a synthetic genome.

To achieve this aim, you will use VASA-seq and Ribo-Seq to generate large data sets that can be used for training machine learning and deep learning models. You will work in tight collaboration with other researchers in Nijmegen, Delft and at the Hubrecht Institute (van Oudenaarden group).

Would you like to learn more about what it is like to pursue a PhD at Radboud University? Visit the page about working as a PhD candidate. 

3. Profile

• You have a Master’s degree in chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, or a related field.
• You are motivated by deep scientific curiosity, have excellent experimental and quantitative skills and possess a drive to learn and develop new methods and concepts.
• You have excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• You have a strong affinity with teamwork and thrive in an international, ambitious, multidisciplinary and highly collaborative environment. 

4. We are

The department of Physical Organic Chemistry is an international, diverse and multidisciplinary team of chemists, physicists, biologists, engineers and AI/ML scientists at the Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University (Nijmegen, Netherlands). The EVOLF research consortium includes 31 research groups across the Netherlands that have joined forces to construct bottom-up synthetic cells.

5. We offer

• We will give you a temporary employment contract (1.0 FTE) of 1.5 years, after which your performance will be evaluated. If the evaluation is positive, your contract will be extended by 2.5 years (4-year contract).     
• You will receive a starting salary of €2,901 gross per month based on a 38-hour working week, which will increase to €3,707 in the fourth year (salary scale P).
• You will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8,3% end-of-year bonus.
• We offer Dual Career Coaching. The Dual Career Coaching assists your partner via support, tools, and resources to improve their chances of independently finding employment in the Netherlands. 
• You will receive extra days off. With full-time employment, you can choose between 30 or 41 days of annual leave instead of the statutory 20. 

6. Practical information and applying

You can apply only via the button below. Address your letter of application to Wilhelm Huck. In the application form, you will find which documents you need to include with your application.

Applications will be reviewed, and interviews scheduled during the recruitment period. Therefore, you will receive feedback and information about a possible follow-up process shortly. If a suitable candidate is found before the closing date, the vacancy will be closed, and further applications will no longer be possible. Feel free to contact the listed contact person for the latest status.

You will preferably start your employment on 1 September 2025

We can imagine you're curious about our application procedure. It describes what you can expect during the application procedure and how we handle your personal data and internal and external candidates.