Senior Scientist, Ensemble–Function Mapping

The role

The Senior Scientist, Ensemble–Function Mapping will lead a computational team to turn conformational ensembles into predictions of protein function. This person will develop methods connecting ensembles to allosteric coupling, catalytic efficiency, and binding specificity.

What you will do

• Lead Prism's research connecting conformational ensembles to function.
• Direct the scientific vision to predict and explain allosteric coupling, catalytic efficiency, and binding specificity.
• Manage and mentor a team of multiple scientists.
• Recruit additional hires with expertise in machine learning and statistical mechanics.
• Work with the Scientific Program Director to determine strategy and prioritization.
• Partner with Prism's modeling and encoding team to ensure cohesion.
• Build platforms and analysis pipelines that measure how structural data and ensemble models change functional predictions.
• Validate platforms and pipelines on well-chosen test cases.

Required qualifications

• PhD in a relevant area
• at least 4 years of work experience
• Experience managing a team of scientists
• Background in computational biophysics, with a record of research that connects protein structure or dynamics to function
• Experience with machine learning approaches that link protein structure to function
• Experience working extensively with at least one type of experimental structural data (X-ray, EM, NMR, HDX-MS)
• An execution-forward approach
• Clear communication with modelers, experimentalists, and external collaborators

Nice to have

• working knowledge of multiple experimental structural biology methods
• fluency in the mechanistic literature on allostery, conformational selection, and binding specificity

Benefits

• Top-tier health insurance plans with 99% of premiums covered by Astera for employees and dependents
• Daily lunch
• well-stocked fridge and pantry
• Licenses for frontier AI tools and software
• 403(b) retirement plans
• flexible paid time off
• paid parental leave
• commuter benefits
• health and dependent care FSAs

Before you apply

• Relocation packages will be considered
• Visa sponsorship

About the company

Astera is a private foundation on a mission to steer science and technology toward a better future. It has committed a $3.5B endowment to grants, investments, and in-house research programs.