Associate Research Scientist

Position Overview

The Williams Lab in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University is seeking an Associate Research Scientist (ARS) with expertise in synthetic glycobiology, protein engineering, and immunoengineering. The successful candidate will lead experimental efforts to study and manipulate protein–glycan interactions for therapeutic applications, including vaccine design, drug delivery, and immune modulation.

Our group integrates molecular biology, immunology, and computational design approaches to understand and engineer glycan-mediated recognition in disease‑relevant systems. The lab is located on Columbia’s Irving Medical Center campus and is part of a dynamic, multidisciplinary research environment that provides exceptional opportunities for collaboration and professional development.

• Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Synthetic Biology, Immunology, or a related field
• Demonstrated research experience in molecular biology and protein engineering
• Evidence of independence and productivity through peer‑reviewed publications
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills
• Enthusiasm for mentoring and collaboration in an interdisciplinary setting

• Experience integrating computational or data‑driven design approaches (e.g., molecular dynamics, free‑energy simulations, machine learning, or generative AI) into experimental workflows
• Proficiency in statistical data analysis, Python/R programming, or molecular modeling software (e.g., GROMACS, AMBER, or Rosetta)
• Understanding of immune system modeling, protein–ligand binding energetics, or glycan–protein interaction networks
• Prior experience contributing to grant or manuscript writing, particularly interdisciplinary or collaborative projects
• Interest in mentoring and helping to train graduate and undergraduate researchers