Kairuruku | Research Fellow in Protein Design at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

, Wellington, New Zealand -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

21 Jun, 26

Salary

0.0

Posted On

23 Mar, 26

Experience

2 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Protein Engineering, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, AI-Driven Computational Design Tools, Experimental Design, Laboratory Practice, Record Keeping, Protein Design, High-Throughput Screening, RNA Vaccines, Immunology, Manuscript Preparation, Collaboration, Functional Characterisation, In Vitro Screening, Mammalian Cell Culture

Industry

Higher Education

Description

* Do you have a PhD in biochemistry, biotechnology, or similar? * Are you organised and systematic in your approach to experimental design, laboratory practice, and record keeping? * Have you got knowledge of, and experience in, protein engineering, particularly with AI-driven computational design tools? Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a Kairuruku - Research Fellow in Protein Design to join the group led by Professor Wayne Patrick on a two-year fixed-term, full-time contract. The successful candidate will join a well-funded research programme at the interface of biochemistry and immunology, which aims to design new vaccines against diseases with pandemic-inducing potential. The Kairuruku - Research Fellow will implement a Design-Build-Test-Learn workflow that uses AI-driven protein design tools and high-throughput screening to evaluate novel antigens for their usefulness when deployed as RNA vaccines. Key responsibilities: * Design novel proteins computationally, and then conduct the relevant experiments to characterise and rank them. * Contribute to the supervision and training of students and/or other team members. * Contribute to the preparation of manuscripts for publication. * Engage with collaborators (locally, nationally and internationally). Ō pūmanawa - About you You are passionate about fast-paced, innovative and impactful research. You are driven to design novel vaccines against diseases with pandemic-inducing potential. You thrive at the interface between AI-driven protein design and laboratory-based experiments to test your designs. Above all, you are excited to contribute your expertise to a highly collaborative, multi-disciplinary team. Key requirements: * A PhD in biochemistry, biotechnology, or similar, along with evidence of high-quality research outputs. * Knowledge of, and experience in, protein engineering. In particular, this will include experience with AI-driven computational design tools as well as functional characterisation of top-ranked designs. Relevant experience will also include high-throughput screening in vitro and/or in cultured mammalian cells. * An organised and systematic approach to experimental design, laboratory practice and record keeping. * Self-motivated and able to work independently. * Able to relate to—and work synergistically with—a diverse range of staff and students within the research environment. Role Description: Click here to see further information, including salary details. [https://vuw.sharepoint.com/:b:/s/VacancyRoleDescriptions/IQAOocgS-HGSRJN470M9gljPAaEgqQGpySik7YsEOlQVZs0?e=aYz9XV&download=1] If this link is not available, click 'apply' to view this on the University careers page. Close date for vacancy: 16 April 2026. Contact details for vacancy: If you have any questions regarding this role please get in touch with Professor Wayne Patrick (wayne.patrick@vuw.ac.nz). How to apply: Please ensure you are applying for this role directly on our careers page and not via email. You will be required to submit a detailed curriculum vitae (CV), which should highlight publications relevant to this project and should also include the names and contact details of three academic/scientific referees. Along with a CV, you must also submit a short cover letter explaining your motivation for the role and why you believe you will be a good fit for it. Applicants who do not have residency or citizenship and require a visa to work at the University must clearly indicate their visa status in their application and understand that if they do not have a current, relevant visa, they will need to secure this independently. Mō Te Herenga Waka - About Our University Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington [https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/about] is renowned for its high-quality research and exceptional teaching. We attract people from around the world. Our university campus spans Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington - the creative, scientific and political centre of Aotearoa New Zealand - and our students thrive on the connections we have made here. Explore the many benefits [https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/about/working-here/employment-information] of working at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington. Find out where you fit in our strategic direction [https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/about/governance/strategic-plan] and learn more about our research expertise [https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/research/strengths/faculty]. Ētahi kōrero hai āwhina i a koe - Why you should join our team Discover Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora - School of Biological Sciences [https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/sbs]! Immerse yourself in innovative programs in biomedical science, biotechnology, and conservation biology. Collaborate with award-winning researchers driving breakthroughs in climate change and coral reef conservation. Be part of a vibrant community pushing the boundaries of biological sciences and making impactful discoveries!

Responsibilities

The Research Fellow will implement a Design-Build-Test-Learn workflow utilizing AI-driven protein design tools and high-throughput screening to evaluate novel antigens for use in RNA vaccines. Key duties include designing novel proteins computationally, conducting experiments to characterize and rank them, supervising team members, and contributing to manuscript preparation.