We are rebels

IONLACE is a place for rebels. We are on a mission to rewrite the timelines of breakthroughs in medicine.

You will be joining a team with experience from leading biotechnology companies and institutions across the world. You will be working at the cutting edge of machine learning and synthetic biology. We operate as a fast-paced startup with our office and lab at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Join us and build the future.

About the role

We’re looking for a Computational Protein Engineer who combines deep protein engineering expertise with modern machine learning. In this role, you’ll apply and evaluate state-of-the-art AI models using proprietary datasets, rigorously analyze their outputs, and help prioritize the most promising designs for rapid experimental validation.

Responsibilities

• Structural Bioinformatics
  Apply tools and methods including structure prediction, sequence design, docking, homology modeling, and physics-based simulation. Use structure-based metrics (e.g., pLDDT, RMSD, interface energies) to analyze and prioritize in silico designs.

• Data Engineering
  Build, clean, and annotate large biologics datasets for model training, benchmarking, and continual learning.

• Model Fine‑Tuning & Evaluation
  Fine-tune ML models, design meaningful benchmarks, run hyperparameter sweeps, and assess model performance across stability, affinity, and developability.

• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
  Work closely with ML engineers to integrate data and models into production pipelines, and with wet-lab scientists to iterate quickly on experimental feedback.

• Platform Innovation
  Prototype new functionality by extending model architectures and feature representations.

Qualifications

Technical Expertise

• BSc in Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field and a PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, ML-for-Biology, or equivalent experience.

• Strong programming skills in Python, with a demonstrated ability to apply deep learning and classical ML to protein engineering challenges.

• Deep understanding of protein sequence and structure, with experience in 3D modeling, functional analysis, and protein-protein interaction analysis.

Data Curation & Bioinformatics

• Experience assembling and managing large-scale biological datasets, including sequence, structure, and assay metadata.

• Familiarity with multiple sequence alignment (MSA), PDB handling, and feature extraction workflows.

ML Integration

• Hands-on experience fine-tuning ML models for protein design or related tasks.

• Comfortable working with modern MLOps stacks (Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, GitHub) to deploy and monitor models.

Execution & Ownership

• Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment—taking projects from concept to production.

• Clear and effective communicator across computational and experimental disciplines.

Nice-to-Have

• Experience with generative protein design methods (e.g., diffusion models, graph neural networks).

• Contributions to open-source bio/ML projects or peer-reviewed publications in protein engineering.

Process

We review applications on a rolling basis—please submit yours as early as possible. Our team aims to respond within 2 weeks.
Hiring Steps:

1. Initial phone screen (15 minutes) – a short introductory call with a team member.

2. Main selection process:

   • Two 1:1 interviews focused on technical expertise and team fit

   • A technical interview with a representative task (including a brief presentation)

   • A culture fit interview, including a 20-minute presentation to a cross-functional audience

We aim to complete the full process within 4 weeks. All interviews are conducted via Google Meet. We do not use external recruiters.

IONLACE is an equal opportunity employer and we actively seek to create a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals regardless of their background.