job description
Join A*STAR at the forefront of AI-driven drug discovery as we revolutionize healthcare through generative AI models for RNA-based therapeutics. This is a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge mRNA optimization, rapid vaccine development, and accelerated biomedical research in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment.
Based in Bali, Indonesia (with flexibility for remote work across Canggu, Ubud, Denpasar, or other key locations), you will collaborate with global experts to develop next-generation AI algorithms that push the boundaries of synthetic biology and computational drug design. Your work will directly contribute to life-saving innovations, from personalized medicine to pandemic response solutions.
We offer a competitive salary, relocation support (if applicable), and the chance to be part of a world-class research ecosystem with access to state-of-the-art infrastructure. If you are passionate about AI for social impact and thrive in a fast-paced, innovative setting, we want to hear from you.
Responsibility
- Design, develop, and optimize generative AI models (e.g., diffusion models, transformers, VAEs) for RNA sequence design and mRNA optimization.
- Lead research in AI-driven drug discovery, focusing on target identification, molecular generation, and property prediction.
- Collaborate with biologists, chemists, and data scientists to integrate AI solutions into end-to-end drug development pipelines.
- Publish high-impact research in peer-reviewed journals and present findings at international conferences.
- Develop scalable ML pipelines for processing large-scale omics, structural, and clinical datasets.
- Mentor junior researchers and contribute to cross-functional AI/biotech projects.
- Stay abreast of emerging trends in AI for healthcare (e.g., foundation models, reinforcement learning for drug design).
- Ensure reproducibility, ethical AI practices, and compliance with regulatory standards in biomedical research.
Qualifications
- PhD in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related field with a focus on AI/ML for drug discovery.
- 5+ years of experience in deep learning, generative models, or reinforcement learning applied to biomedical data.
- Proven track record of published research in AI for RNA/DNA, protein design, or drug development.
- Proficiency in Python, PyTorch/TensorFlow, and high-performance computing (GPU/TPU clusters).
- Experience with biological databases (e.g., PDB, UniProt, NCBI) and molecular simulation tools (e.g., Rosetta, AlphaFold).
- Strong background in statistics, bioinformatics, or cheminformatics.
- Excellent communication skills to bridge gaps between AI researchers and domain experts.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with a problem-solving mindset.