Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow, Target Identification and Mechanistic Biology Antimalarial D

Job Description Summary

We are excited to invite applications for the Novartis Biomedical Research Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, a unique training opportunity designed for exceptional early‑career scientists eager to tackle some of the most challenging problems in biomedical research and drug discovery. As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, you will join Discovery Sciences (DSc) in San Diego and pursue an innovative research project at the forefront of biomedical science and drug discovery.

You will work alongside leading scientists in a highly collaborative, multidisciplinary environment while gaining exposure to the broader ecosystem that translates scientific discovery into medicines. Our fellows are empowered to ask bold scientific questions, apply cutting‑edge technologies, and develop approaches that have the potential to transform patient care.

Position Title: Discovery Postdoctoral Fellow

Location: San Diego, CA, USA (Onsite)

Program Duration: Up to three years full‑time

Notes: The role is not entitled to relocation support or visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for the entire 3‑year duration.

Malaria remains a major global health challenge, and the molecular targets and mechanisms of several promising antimalarial compounds remain incompletely understood. In this discovery‑postdoctoral fellowship you will develop and apply innovative target‑identification and interactomics approaches to uncover the biological pathways underlying parasite survival and drug response. The fellow will establish a T7 phage display library representing the blood‑stage proteome of Plasmodium falciparum and apply this resource to identify targets and interaction partners of next‑generation antimalarial compounds.

Using complementary approaches including phage display, mass‑spectrometry‑based proteomics, and computational analyses, you will investigate protein‑interaction networks and generate mechanistic insights into parasite biology and therapeutic response. This project combines expertise in malaria biology, phage display technology, and quantitative proteomics within a highly collaborative and multidisciplinary environment.

• Design, construct, and characterize phage display libraries representing the blood‑stage Plasmodium falciparum proteome
• Develop and optimize phage display screening workflows for target identification and protein‑interaction mapping
• Propose and execute biochemical, structural, and cell‑based validation studies for candidate targets and interaction partners
• Collaborate closely with scientists across malaria biology, proteomics, structural biology, and computational biology disciplines
• Prepare and deliver clear, data‑driven presentations that translate into actionable insights and support strategic decision‑making
• Publish scientific manuscripts describing novel discoveries, methodologies, and research outcomes in high‑impact peer‑reviewed journals

• PhD (or equivalent doctoral degree) in a relevant scientific discipline completed prior to the fellowship start date (PhD conferred in 2026 only)
• Demonstrated record of scientific achievement (publications, presentations, patents, or equivalent)
• Strong commitment to learning, innovation, and professional development
• Demonstrated expertise in display technologies for therapeutic discovery, including phage, yeast, ribosome, and mRNA display platforms
• Experience with molecular biology techniques such as cloning, recombinant DNA manipulation, library construction, protein expression, or related approaches

• Familiarity with protein‑protein interaction technologies beyond display methods, affinity purification, immunoprecipitation, proximity labeling, or related screening approaches
• Knowledge of mass‑spectrometry‑based proteomics, chemical proteomics, next‑generation sequencing, or computational analysis of large biological datasets

• Analytical Thinking
• Chemical Biology
• Chemistry
• Clinical Research
• Clinical Trials
• Collaboration
• Curious Mindset
• Data Analysis
• Detail‑Oriented
• Ethics
• Gene Therapy
• Immunology
• Machine Learning (ML)
• Mamm…