Principal Research Scientist​/Structural Biology Unit

Position: Principal Research Scientist/ Structural Biology Unit
IRBM is a scientific contract research organization (CRO) that stands at the forefront of drug discovery, leveraging a single, unified research facility, located in Pomezia (Rome), Italy, to accelerate team‑based breakthroughs and improve efficiencies from initial concept to pre‑clinical candidate. With a history of contributing to several approved drugs, and its own internal pipeline of oncology and other therapeutic assets, IRBM is powered by deep collaborations and decades of expertise from leading global institutions.

Our comprehensive in‑house capabilities assist partners in achieving key milestones and progressing towards clinical readiness, positioning IRBM as a major player in driving innovation in the pharmaceutical and biotech fields.

About the Role
We are seeking a talented, highly motivated Crystallographer with a strong passion for structural biology and structure‑based drug discovery. The successful candidate will join a rapidly expanding Protein Production and NMR team and contribute to a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment focused on advancing drug discovery projects involving proteins, nucleic acids, peptides, and small‑molecule ligands. The ideal candidate will have a solid background in macromolecular crystallography and a demonstrated track record of delivering high‑quality scientific results.

She/He should possess extensive training in structural biology, strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, and a creative, innovative approach to addressing complex scientific challenges. A commitment to continuous learning and scientific excellence is essential. The role requires hands‑on expertise in protein crystallization, diffraction data collection, structure determination, and structural analysis. The successful applicant will work closely with scientists across multiple disciplines to generate high‑impact structural insights that guide drug discovery and biomolecular research programs.

Responsibilities

Lead and execute crystal structure determination projects using X‑ray crystallography, electron diffraction, and complementary structural biology techniques

Independently analyze, interpret, integrate and communicate experimental data and structural insights to internal project teams, external collaborators, and clients

Design, develop, and optimise experimental strategies to address challenging crystallographic and structure determination problems

Maintain accurate experimental records and contribute to laboratory operations, including reagent procurement, inventory management, and equipment oversight

Provide scientific leadership and intellectual input to structure‑based drug discovery programmes, working closely with multidisciplinary teams spanning medicinal chemistry, biology, biophysics, computational chemistry, and related fields

Generate and apply structural insights to support target validation, hit identification, lead optimisation, and candidate selection in multidisciplinary drug discovery projects

Contribute to the continuous improvement of crystallography workflows, methodologies, and data analysis pipelines

Contribute to scientific publications, scientific reports, technical proposals, and business development activities as appropriate

Qualifications
Candidates should hold a Ph.D. in Structural Biology, Chemistry, or a related field, complemented by a minimum of five years of relevant post‑doctoral and/or industry experience in macromolecular crystallography. Additional experience with cryo‑electron microscopy (cryo‑EM) techniques and/or Protein Production will be considered as a plus. The position is based in Pomezia (RM).

Required Skills

Extensive expertise in macromolecular crystallography, including X‑ray diffraction, electron diffraction, and related structural biology techniques

Strong proficiency with crystallographic software packages, data processing and structure determination tools, and relevant scripting or programming languages for data analysis and automation

Demonstrated hands‑on experience in protein crystallisation, crystal optimisation, high‑throughput crystallography, synchrotron‑based data collection and automated data collection…