Postdoctoral Research Fellow (m/f/d) | Bioinformatics

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (m/d/f) in Bioinformatics

The Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry (MPIB) in Martinsried near Munich is one of the world's leading international research institutions in the fields of biochemistry, cell and structural biology, and biomedical research. With around 27 scientific departments and research groups and about 680 employees, the MPIB is one of the largest institutes of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science.

The Department of Machine Learning and Systems Biology, headed by Prof. Dr. Karsten Borgwardt, invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow (m/d/f) in Bioinformatics.

Project Overview

This position offers an exciting opportunity to develop machine learning methods that reveal how biological function is encoded across different kinds of molecular data. While machine learning has transformed fields such as computer vision and natural language processing, the molecular life sciences remain a rich frontier for methodological innovation. The successful candidate will develop machine learning models for large-scale biological data and connect predictive modeling with mechanistic understanding. As part of Karsten Borgwardt's Department of Machine Learning and Systems Biology, these advances will be applied directly to frontier problems in biology, from genome regulation to spatial proteomics, mass spectrometry, and protein design, using the unique, large-scale datasets generated across the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry.

Qualifications

The successful applicant will hold a Ph.D. in bioinformatics, computational biology, machine learning, computer science, or related fields. The applicant should have a strong interest and prior experience in developing and applying machine learning methods to problems in the life sciences. Experience with bioinformatic preprocessing pipelines for large-scale biological data is an advantage. Written and oral command of English is essential.

Research Environment

The Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, was founded in 1973 with the aim of understanding fundamental mechanisms of biochemistry, cell and structural biology, biophysics, and molecular medicine. Machine learning and bioinformatics play an increasingly important role in this endeavor. The institute is part of a strong network of research institutions in the southwest of Munich and provides outstanding research opportunities for its scientists.

Payment will be according to qualifications and in accordance with TVöD (German public service tariff scale). The initial appointment is for two years, with the possibility of extension.

Informal inquiries are welcome and should be sent to borgwardt-office@biochem.mpg.de.

The Max-Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in research and explicitly encourages women to apply.

Are You Interested?

Then please upload your complete application documents, containing a one-page letter with a personal statement describing your scientific accomplishments and your interests in our department and its research, your CV and bibliography, as well as contact information for at least two references, in electronic form via our application portal.

Application deadline: September 30, 2026.

Interviews will be held in October and November 2026. The successful candidate is expected to start the position between December 2026 and June 2027, with an earlier start date preferred whenever possible.