Postdoctoral Researcher 'AI & Structural Modeling of T-cell Recognition Cancer Immunotherapy

Job description

Host:
Structural Bioinformatics Group, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, the Netherlands

Project background

Cancer immunotherapy can direct a patient's own T cells to recognize tumor-specific neoantigens and destroy tumor cells, but its promise is held back by high cost, long development times, and the risk of toxicity against healthy tissue. At the heart of these challenges lies the TCR specificity problem: understanding how T-cell receptors (TCRs) recognize peptide antigens presented by MHC molecules.

This curiosity-driven project develops cutting-edge AI technology for 3D TCR–pMHC modeling to improve neoantigen identification, TCR specificity prediction, and TCR design. The project is funded by an NWO (Dutch Research Council) Open Competition M grant. The successful candidate(s) will work within a well-connected international consortium, including leading academic groups in AI, 3D modelling and T-cell immunology, leading TCR discovery and TCR-biologics companies, a cancer vaccine research group running clinical trials, and the national super-computing center Surf Sara.

What we offer

• A 1-year postdoc position with the possibility of extension, in a vibrant, interdisciplinary environment bridging AI and cancer immunotherapy.
• Training and career development opportunities.
• The chance to help shape a newly funded research line with real clinical impact, within an international network of academic and industry partners.

The Netherlands is one of the leading research hubs for cancer immunotherapies. Radboudumc (Radboud University Medical Center) is one of the country's leading hospitals and university medical centers in the Netherlands, with active research programs in cancer immunotherapy, including cancer vaccines and CAR-NK cell therapy.

Our bioinformatics group offers a supportive, collaborative environment, and our trainees go on to PhD, postdoc, and engineering positions at leading institutions such as Oxford, the Max Planck Institutes, the Netherlands eScience Center (NLeSC), and pharmaceutical companies.

We are looking for 1 or 2 highly motivated postdoctoral researchers to join our effort in AI for protein structure modeling in cancer immunotherapy design.

Profile A — AI

• PhD in machine learning, computer science, computational science, or a related field.
• Strong experience with deep learning (e.g., PyTorch), ideally geometric/graph neural networks, equivariant models, or generative models.
• Interest in applying AI to molecular or biological problems; prior structural biology experience is a plus but not required.

Profile B — Structural bioinformatics / computational biophysics

• PhD in structural bioinformatics, computational biophysics, computational chemistry, or a related field.
• Experience with protein structure modeling, molecular interactions/energetics, and tools such as Alpha Fold, Rosetta, or MD simulations.
• Solid programming skills (Python); familiarity with machine learning is a plus.

For both profiles, we value:

• A strong publication record and scientific independence.
• Good collaboration and communication skills, and enthusiasm for interdisciplinary, translational research.
• Fluency in English.

• Starting date:
  November 1, 2026
• This position requires a Certificate of Conduct (VOG).

We are recruiting for this position ourselves. Unsolicited marketing is not appreciated, but do feel free to share the vacancy in your network!