Pomezia, Italy

Application deadline: 31 Aug 2026

We are seeking a talented, highly motivated Crystallographer with a strong passion for structural biology and structure-based drug discovery. The successful candidate will join a rapidly expanding Protein Production and NMR team and contribute to a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment focused on advancing drug discovery projects involving proteins, nucleic acids, peptides, and small-molecule ligands. The ideal candidate will have a solid background in macromolecular crystallography and a demonstrated track record of delivering high-quality scientific results.

She/He should possess extensive training in structural biology, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and a creative, innovative approach to addressing complex scientific challenges. A commitment to continuous learning and scientific excellence is essential. The role requires hands-on expertise in protein crystallization, diffraction data collection, structure determination, and structural analysis.

The successful applicant will work closely with scientists across multiple disciplines to generate high-impact structural insights that guide drug discovery and biomolecular research programs.

Key Responsibilities

- Lead and execute crystal structure determination projects using X-ray crystallography, electron diffraction, and complementary structural biology techniques
- Independently analyze, interpret, integrate and communicate experimental data and structural insights to internal project teams, external collaborators, and clients
- Design, develop, and optimize experimental strategies to address challenging crystallographic and structure determination problems
- Maintain accurate experimental records and contribute to laboratory operations, including reagent procurement, inventory management, and equipment oversight
- Provide scientific leadership and intellectual input to structure-based drug discovery programs, working closely with multidisciplinary teams spanning medicinal chemistry, biology, biophysics,



computational chemistry, and related fields.
- Generate and apply structural insights to support target validation, hit identification, lead optimization, and candidate selection in multidisciplinary drug discovery projects.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of crystallography workflows, methodologies, and data analysis pipelines
- Contribute to scientific publications, scientific reports, technical proposals, and business development activities as appropriate.

Competencies/skills

- Extensive expertise in macromolecular crystallography, including X-ray diffraction, electron diffraction, and related structural biology techniques
- Strong proficiency with crystallographic software packages, data processing and structure determination tools, and relevant scripting or programming languages for data analysis and automation
- Demonstrated hands-on experience in protein crystallization, crystal optimization, high-throughput crystallography, synchrotron-based data collection and automated data collection workflows
- Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment, while effectively managing multiple projects and meeting timelines
- Experience mentoring and guiding junior scientists, with the ability to provide scientific and technical leadership when required
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving abilities
- Strong interpersonal skills with a highly collaborative and team-oriented mindset, coupled with outstanding written and verbal communication skills
- Fluency in spoken and written English is essential

Qualifications Candidates should hold a Ph.D. in Structural Biology, Chemistry, or a related field, complemented by a minimum of five years of relevant postdoctoral and/or industry experience in macromolecular crystallography. Additional experience with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) techniques and/or Protein Production will be considered as a plus. The position is based in Pomezia (RM).

For more information and to apply, please see here.

📌 Principal Research Scientist - Structural Biology - IRBM (Pomezia)
🏢 Instruct-Eric
📍 Pomezia