Postdoctoral position in Computational Biophysics and Drug Discovery

About the university and institute:
In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, Shenzhen University was ranked 351–400 in the world and 31st among mainland China universities. The Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) is the Center for Excellence in Research at Shenzhen University, located in Shenzhen – a modern, international city next to Hong Kong – and focuses on highly interdisciplinary research with strong financial support from the local government.

Research:
The group of Prof. Dr. Wenjin Li focuses on the development of theory and computational approaches, including (but not limited to) enhanced sampling, free energy calculations and the identification of reaction coordinates. These approaches are applied to study enzymatic reactions, drug discovery and protein engineering by combining MM and QM/MM molecular dynamics. The group is also interested in machine learning, especially the combination of machine learning and molecular dynamics. For more information, please see the group web page (https://www.x-mol.com/groups/TCBioE/) and Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=rkKWAEsAAAAJ&hl=en).

Duties:
We are seeking up to one highly motivated researcher who will work on computational method development (especially the combination of machine learning and molecular dynamics) and/or investigation of biomolecular systems, including protein–ligand interactions, protein–nucleic acid interactions and enzymatic reactions. The researcher will be asked for a commitment of at least two years, with publications in peer-reviewed journals, will mentor graduate and undergraduate students, and can develop their own projects overlapping with the expertise and interests of the group.

Requirements:
Candidates should be no older than 35 and have, or be about to be awarded, a PhD degree in computational biophysics/chemistry, computational biology, mathematical biology or a related subject. A strong background in programming in C/C++/Python is essential; experience with Linux and molecular dynamics software, or approaches in machine learning, is an advantage. Candidates should be able to conduct scientific research independently as well as to collaborate with others.

Benefits:
1. Salary RMB 330,000–380,000 per annum (after tax).
2. Prestigious rewards/fellowships from the local government are available to outstanding applicants.
3. Same benefits as faculty members, e.g., children can enroll in the kindergarten or school attached to the University with great discounts.

Application materials:
(1) a cover letter explaining the applicant’s scientific background and interest in joining the laboratory; (2) a curriculum vitae with publication list; (3) names of at least two references (recommendation letters will be requested if necessary); (4) a brief research plan (optional, maximum 2 pages). Please submit the materials via the application email/URL provided in this posting.