You will develop quantum-algorithm prototypes within existing bioinformatics workflows and benchmark them transparently against state-of-the-art classical approaches. In consultation with the project leaders and collaborators, you will focus on one or both of two complementary directions:

• protein structure-based enzyme specificity and biocatalysis, including computationally demanding tasks such as pose search in high-dimensional binding landscapes, optimisation of catalytic-pocket conformations, sampling of ligand-binding modes, and improved scoring of enzyme-substrate interactions;
• DNA sequence analysis, for example sequence alignment, assembly, distance computation, or phylogenetic inference, as applicable to microbiomes and human-microbiome interactions, such as outbreak-related strain reconstruction, or phasing and assembly of complex immune-system loci.

Your tasks and responsibilities will include:

• surveying and selecting quantum or hybrid quantum-classical methods with credible potential for the chosen biological problems;
• designing reproducible proof-of-concept studies, implementing prototypes and evaluating them on suitable simulated and/or real biological datasets;
• comparing accuracy, scalability, resource requirements and scientific usefulness with strong classical baselines, and clearly identifying both opportunities and limitations;
• working closely with bioinformatics researchers, the incoming Lead Scientist Quantum Application, colleagues in the other Q-MMD seed projects as well as scientists in the wider quantum ecosystem at UvA;
• where appropriate, connecting prototypes to available quantum-computing infrastructure and hardware partners, including through the wider Amsterdam quantum ecosystem;
• taking a leading role in scientific publications, open and reusable research software, presentations and/or knowledge-transfer activities;
• helping formulate the project's valorisation strategy and develop follow-up proposals, including collaborative and public-private projects;
• contributing to the supervision of Bachelor’s and Master’s students and to an inclusive, collaborative research culture.

You are a curious and rigorous researcher who enjoys learning across disciplines. You can translate an ambitious methodological idea into a testable computational study, communicate openly about negative as well as positive results, and work effectively with collaborators who use different scientific languages.

You

• hold a PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, computer science, quantum information/quantum computing, computational chemistry, applied mathematics, physics, or a closely related field;
• have strong programming and computational research skills, and experience building reproducible analysis or simulation workflows;
• have demonstrable expertise in one of the following domains and the motivation to acquire working knowledge of the complementary domain:
  - quantum computation;
  - bioinformatics or computational biology expertise in the project's core applications: biological sequence/structure analysis, molecular modelling, and/or       optimisation and algorithms;
• have a research record appropriate to your career stage and the ability to communicate results clearly in publications, presentations and collaborative meetings;
• communicate fluently in written and spoken English and work constructively in an interdisciplinary, international team.

Experience with quantum software frameworks, high-performance computing, open-source software development, or collaboration with external partners is an advantage. We do not expect candidates to cover this entire list.

We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 18 months, with a probationary period of three months in accordance with UvA policy. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible.

The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, is €3.706 to €5.760. This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end allowance. The UFO profile Researcher 4 is applicable. A favourable tax agreement, the ‘30% ruling’, may apply to non-Dutch applicants. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable.

Curious about our extensive secondary benefits package? You can read more about it here.