What You Will Do
Our team applies AI/ML and quantum computing to some of the most challenging problems in biosecurity. We are hiring three postdoctoral researchers to develop protein structure-based machine learning models and apply these models to study immune protein interactions, protein-small molecule bindings, and protein-metal interactions. All positions offer the opportunity to lead spin-off side projects alongside the main research direction set by the mentors, as well as to present at conferences and publish in scientific journals.
Depending on the candidate's background, appointments may be shared with other LANL divisions. All positions are onsite only.
Protein AI/ML Postdocs
In this role, you will work with an interdisciplinary team of bioinformaticians, structural biologists, immunologists, and bench scientists to:
- Improve the current model architecture
- Add generative capabilities
- Develop models for specific applications of national interest
- Extend support to more general biomolecular interactions
Protein Quantum Computing Postdoc
In this role, you will apply quantum topological data analysis and other quantum computing methods to analyze protein structural dynamics, estimate quantum computing resource requirements, and develop and execute quantum code.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
- PhD within the past 5 years in computer science, physics, mathematics, bioinformatics, or a related computational discipline
- Understanding of common ML architectures, including attention-based networks and equivariant graph neural networks (EGNNs)
- Familiarity with fundamental biological concepts, such as proteins and genomes
- Fluency in scientific software development using both scripting and compiled languages (e.g., Python, Rust, C, C++, Julia)
- Proficiency with HPC environments and job schedulers such as SLURM
- Demonstrated experience developing AI/ML models (Protein AI/ML positions)
- Experience in quantum computing (Quantum Computing position)
- Strong written and verbal technical communication skills, as evidenced by publications and conference presentations
- U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status
Education/Experience : Ph.D. in physics, chemistry, computer science, bioinformatics, applied math, or other STEM majors within the past 5 years or expected soon.
Desired Qualifications:
- Solid understanding of protein folding physics and molecular dynamics simulation
- Experience developing machine learning models for proteins
- Understanding of sampling methods for generative AI
- Familiarity with agentic workflows
- Familiarity with error mitigation and resource estimation (Quantum Computing position)
Work Environment:
Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Note to Applicants:
Due to sponsor requirements, U.S. citizenship is typically required with exception to permanent residents. DOE Clearance may be required to participate some discussions, which typically require U.S. citizenship.
Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
- PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
- Dental and vision insurance
- Free basic life and disability insurance
- Paid childbirth and parental leave
- Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
- Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
- Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
- Onsite gyms and wellness programs
- Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
Clearance: Q (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance, and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.
*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.
New-Employment Drug Test : The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Internal Applicants: Regular appointment employees who have served the required period of continuous service in their current position are eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the required period of continuous service, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. Please refer to Policy Policy P701 for applicant eligibility requirements.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947. Instructions on How to Activate/ Create a LANL Jobs Account:
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