Research Associate

Academic

Job Category

Faculty Non Bargaining

Job Title

Research Associate

Department

Subramaniam Laboratory | Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | Faculty of Medicine (Sriram Subramaniam)

Posting End Date

December 8, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Dec 14, 2025

The expected pay rang for this position is $95,000–$110,000 per annum.

The Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia invites applications for Research Associates in Machine Learning at 100% FTE to join an interdisciplinary translational research program on pandemic preparedness, PROGENITER, led by Dr. Sriram Subramaniam. PROGENITER’s mission is to bolster Canada’s pandemic preparedness by providing ready-to-deploy protein therapies against viruses with high pandemic potential and ready-to-implement workflows for rapid response to future pandemics.

Our research combines novel technologies for AI-enabled and structure guided antibody discovery combined with state-of-the-art capabilities for cryo-EM and biochemistry. More details about our program can be found at http://electron.med.ubc.ca and at http://progeniter.ca.

We are seeking to recruit one or two highly motivated and exceptional candidates with background in machine learning who will focus on developing and applying machine learning approaches to support PROGENITER’s goals for structure-guided biologics design. This role involves developing innovative computational methods and evaluating/applying established methods towards the invention of novel medicines.

Responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

Reporting to Dr. Sriram Subramaniam, Principal Investigator and Professor in the Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, the successful candidate will be expected to;

• Develop, apply, and iteratively improve AI guided modeling techniques and scientific workflows to accelerate protein design and antibody optimization campaigns via design-make-test-analyze cycles

• Explore use of deep learning models to improve antibody design

• Develop unit testing and regression testing suite for codebase

• Generate quarterly progress reports on project advances and present at weekly team meetings

• Collaborate closely with PROGENITER team members working on experimental aspects of biologics design including cryo-EM structural analysis, biochemistry and neutralization mechanisms

• Stay abreast of the latest advances in the machine learning field and adapt relevant concepts into internal scientific workflows, as needed.

Education/Work Experience:

• PhD degree in computer science, applied math, statistics, bioinformatics, physics, chemistry or a related discipline.

• Two or more years’ experience working with major deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX etc.) implementing modern deep learning models such as graph neural networks, Transformers, diffusion models.

• Experience working with representation learning and generative AI models.

• In-depth understanding of modern and classical machine learning (ML) methods with practical experience designing, training, and validating such algorithms.

• Experience building scalable, optimized scientific software, and knowledge of GPU computation and CUDA.

• Familiarity with 3D protein structures and protein sequences.

• Demonstrated ability to work at a high level of personal and professional integrity.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate with scientific and non-scientific personnel.

• Excellent attention to detail with strong critical thinking and decision-making abilities.

• Ability to multitask and thrive in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.

• Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.

• Must be an independent, self-starter who is also an excellent team player with strong interpersonal skills.

• Must be adaptable and flexible to work collaboratively and effectively in a multi-disciplinary environment.

Applications should include a letter outlining the applicant’s research, strengths and experiences relevant to the position requirements, a detailed curriculum vitae and the names of three references.

Candidates interested must apply via the UBC Careers website.

UBC - One of the World's Leading Universities

As one of the world's leading universities, the University of British Columbia creates an exceptional learning environment that fosters global citizenship, advances a civil and sustainable society, and supports outstanding research to serve the people of British Columbia, Canada and the world.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence.  An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged.  We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, and/or Indigenous person.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.