Overview of vacancies

The University of Oldenburg is seeking to fill the following position:

PhD student in the “Quantum Biology and Computational Physics” (QuantBio) group

Paygrade	E13 TV-L
Working Hours	65%
Institution	School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institute of Physics
Location	Oldenburg (Oldb)
Application Deadline	18.06.2026
First day of work	01.08.2026
Limited	until 31.07.2029 / to three years

About us

The QuantBioLab group is searching for a highly motivated PhD candidate to further develop and expand our Automated Ligand Searcher (ALISE), a virtual screening workflow embedded in the VIKING web platform. VIKING (www.viking-suite.com) is an interactive, online computational modelling environment that enables researchers to easily design, execute, and monitor state-of-the-art molecular simulations on high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures without requiring advanced scripting expertise. ALISE currently provides a hierarchical screening strategy to estimate binding affinities of ligands to protein receptors using increasingly rigorous methodologies (Molecular Docking → Molecular Dynamics → Free Energy Perturbation). By combining speed and accuracy in a stepwise manner, ALISE enables efficient identification of high-potential binders from large chemical libraries. Building on previous success stories within our group, we aim to significantly extend the capabilities, flexibility, and accessibility of the platform.

A first major objective of the project will be the implementation of customizable and user-defined workflows, allowing researchers to tailor screening strategies to specific biological targets and research questions. Planned extensions include advanced ligand generation modules, fragment-based growing and linking strategies, integration of machine-learning-assisted scoring functions, automated chemical space exploration, and improved prioritization algorithms. Furthermore, the project will focus on enhancing reproducibility, scalability, and user accessibility, broadening the platform’s applicability to both academic and industrial users.

Beyond methodological development, the project offers the opportunity to work at the interface of computational chemistry, structural biology, and artificial intelligence. The successful candidate will gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge virtual screening software, high-performance computing environments, workflow automation, and large-scale data analysis. Existing collaborations with experimental groups will allow additional verification of designed ligands in the laboratory. The PhD project will contribute to advancing computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) pipelines and will provide immediate value to the scientific community by making robust and high-quality design methodologies easily accessible, reproducible, and scalable. Existing collaborations with experimental groups will allow additional verification of designed ligands in the laboratory.

Your tasks

In pursuing a doctoral degree within our group, the candidate will develop expertise in:

• Computational molecular design and free energy calculations
• Molecular dynamics simulations and enhanced sampling methods
• Machine learning approaches for molecular property prediction
• Workflow engineering and agent-assisted coding
• Research data management and reproducible science
• Scientific communication and publication in high-impact journals

The candidate will be encouraged to actively present their work at leading national and international conferences, build collaborations, and engage with both academic and industrial partners. The position offers a stimulating interdisciplinary research environment, close supervision, and opportunities to shape the future direction of an actively used computational drug discovery platform.

Your profile

Recruitment requirements are:

• hold a qualifying university degree (diploma, master or similar) in physics, physical chemistry / chemical physics / biophysics, or a related field
• basic programming skills
• be highly motivated to conduct research using theoretical and computational physics methods
• have excellent English language skills (both spoken and written)
• be able to travel internationally on a regular basis, e.g. to attend regular project meetings, conferences and training activities
• be able to work in an international environment, be highly motivated and reliable, be able to meet strict deadlines
• have proven experience of using software tools for computer simulations (e.g. quantum chemistry calculations, molecular dynamics, etc.)
• have experience in handling protein structures and protein-ligand interactions
• have laboratory experience in protein biochemistry in case of experimental validation
• have experience with free energy calculations

We offer

• Integration into a dedicated team and an excellent scientific environment
• Intensive support during your doctorate
• Payment according to collective agreement (TVL) incl. annual special payment
• Possibility of a company pension scheme (VBL) and capital-forming benefits
• 30 days of vacation
• Family-friendly working conditions with flexible working hours
• A wide range of further training opportunities as well as company health promotion services and participation in the university sports program
• Use of the VBN JobTicket

Our standards

The University of Oldenburg is dedicated to increase the percentage of female employees in the field of science. Therefore, female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. In accordance to § 21 Section 3 NHG, female candidates with equal qualifications will be preferentially considered. Applicants with disabilities will be given preference in case of equal qualification.

Further information

The Quantum Biology and Computational Physics group is headed by Prof. I. Solov’yov.

The position serves for personal scientific qualification (doctorate).

Contact

For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. I. Solov’yov 

Apply now

Please send your application via e-mail by 18.06.2026 to

Please send your complete application documents, including a letter of motivation, CV, copies of university certificates and the contact details of two referees (at least one of whom should be active in the academic field), as one coherent PDF document (keyword: QBL08).

Regulations prohibit reimbursement of application and interview expenses.

Benefits at University of Oldenburg

30 days vacation

Secure remuneration according to collective agreement

Company pension scheme

Further education opportunities

Flexible working hours

Health management

Remote working

Compatibility of career and family

Support with childcare

University Sports Centre

Certificate Bicycle-friendly employer

Corporate Benefits

How to apply

1. Click on the button below to access the login form of our application portal.
2. If you have not already done so, please first click on REGISTER to create a user account.
   • We askinternal applicants to register as applicants with a private e-mail address. The university’s official e-mail address is reserved for those working on an appointment committee.
3. Once you have registered, you can log in with your access data and then start your application.
   • You can log in at any time later at https://jobs.uni-oldenburg.de and then access your application.

• General information on the application portal can be found at https://uol.de/bewerbungsportal.

Start your application now

Internetkoordinator
(Changed: 21 Apr 2026)
 |  Kurz-URL:Shortlink: https://uol.de/job1115en