PhD Position (f/m/d) in Computer Science and Cheminformatics - Join the TACsy Team

15 PhD Positions in Computer Science and
Cheminformatics – Join the TACsy Team

Do you have strong skills in algorithms, formal methods, and programming and would love to apply these on key questions and challenges in research, industry, and society involving large and complex networks? Or do you have a background in cheminformatics and would like to vastly expand the current tool-set of chemical modelling by computational methods? We are looking for PhD candidates to join the TACsy (Training Alliance for Computational Systems Chemistry) Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Joint Doctoral Network. This network is combining computer science and systems chemistry and consists of fifteen (15) highly interlinked PhD projects. Each project has its own blend of subjects and skill requirements on the line between computer science and chemistry. The consortium behind TACsy consists of world-class scientists with competences spanning computer science, chemistry, biochemistry, and machine learning. The application deadline is 15 February 2023. The TACsy consortium encompasses 11 partners across six countries in Europe and North America, including both academic institutions and industrial partners. All doctoral candidates will work with two research groups, and will obtain a degree from both host institutions, and complete research stays either at world-leading industry partners or at prestigious non-European academic partners:

• University of Southern Denmark (DK)
• University of Vienna (AT)
• Leipzig University (DE)
• Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena (DE)
• TU Vienna (AT)
• The University of Sheffield (UK)
• European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL)
• BASF SE (DE)
• Fluigent SA (FR)
• Thermo Fisher Scientific GMBH (DE)
• Harvard Medical School (US)

The candidates will all be part of a strong joint PhD training programme, with a focus on career development, application writing, communication skills, and community building through scientific summer schools. All Candidates will be expected to:

• Have potential for conducting outstanding research, as demonstrated by scientific accomplishments (in particular quality of thesis, but also e.g. code repositories, conference presentations, outreach activities, or publications).
• Be interested in working in a multidisciplinary and international research environment.
• Have excellent communication skills in English, verbally as well as in scientific writing.
• Be willing to undertake international research stays, internships, and travels.

Please note that each position may have additional requirements consistent with the specific PhD project itself or the PhD programmes of the institutions. See the individual position descriptions and details about the network as a whole, its scientific content and the application and selection process here. These positions are subject to the entry into force of grant agreement no 101072930 by and between the European Research Executive Agency and University of Southern Denmark and thereby funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme. Application, salary etc.
The guaranteed Doctoral Candidate PhD funding from the European Commission is for 36 months. Therefore, appointment as a PhD Research Fellow is for three years. Employment stops automatically at the end of the period. The holder of the scholarship is not allowed to have other paid employment during the three-year period. Additional funding may be possible, depending on the local supervisor and in accordance with the regular PhD time in the country of origin. Further information about the PhD-study at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) can be found at the homepage of the University. The successful applicant will be employed in accordance with the agreement on salaried PhD scholars between the Ministry of Finance and AC (the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations), if employed at SDU. The successful candidate will, if employed at SDU, be enrolled at this university in accordance with faculty regulations and the Danish Ministerial Order on the PhD Programme at the Universities (PhD order). The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and thus welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background. We are searching for a diverse group of candidates with very different backgrounds and qualities, who inspire and motivate each other. We want every talent to feel at home in our organisations and to have the same career opportunities. The position of working hours is flexible in order to accommodate individual needs and allow for the best possible work-life balance for each candidate. Application must be in English and made in the form of a Declaration of Interest including the following:

• A research proposal/description of your approach to the project(s) in question (max one page excluding references), should be attached under the “Project description” option.
• A letter stating your specific interest, motivation and qualifications for the project(s) in question (max. two pages), followed by the TACsy application form. This should all be combined into no more than three pages. You can apply for up to three different positions. (Note: even if applying for more than one position, you should only perform a single application process.) This document should be attached under the "Application form" option.
• Detailed CV, including personal contact information of two or three references, should be attached under the “CV” option.
• Copies of diplomas, Bachelor as well as Master’s degree, including transcript of notes/grades. This should be collated into one document and attached under the “Certificates” option. Please note that some positions may have specific requirements for their PhD School admission, such as 60 ECTS MSc courses completed or a full MSc degree. These are listed in each position description.
• At least two signed reference letters, combined into one file and attached under the “References” option. Should your referees wish to send their letters directly to us, please have them sent to jare@sdu.dk and mention your name and the title of the position in the subject line. And please note that these also need to reach us before deadline.

Applications must be submitted electronically using the link "Apply online". Attached files must be in Adobe PDF or Word format. Each box can only contain a single file of max. 10 Mb. We strongly recommend that you read How to apply before you apply. Incomplete applications and applications received after the deadline will neither be considered nor evaluated. This also applies to reference letters. Further information for international applicants considering applying for a job at SDU. Please take a look at the webpage from the International Staff Office (ISO) at SDU. Details on the selection timeline and process can be found here. Please note, each recruitment team reserves the right to conduct a 2nd interview. Shortlisting may be used in the assessment process. Doctoral Candidate Positions & Descriptions

• DC 1: Efficient Graph Canonicalization & Subgraph Finding Approaches for TAC Graphs
• DC 2: Semigroup Theory for Computational Systems Chemistry
• DC 3: From formal behavioral specifications of chemical systems to their chemical Implementation
• DC 4: Rule inference - Converting 200 years of chemistry knowledge to graph transformation rules
• DC 5: Machine Learning for Automated Synthesis Planning
• DC 6: Dynamical systems theory for generative chemistries
• DC 7: Quantum Mechanics and Chemical Graph Transformation
• DC 8: Causality Analysis for Systems Chemistry
• DC 9: Bridging the Gap from Quantum Chemistry to Rule-based Generative Chemistry for IR Reaction Cascades
• DC 10: Design of Multienzyme Cascades Based on Declarative Descriptions: Novel Computational Approaches
• DC 11: Design of Novel Pathways for Production of Bio-Based Chemicals in MECs
• DC 12: Pathway Design for Chemical Upgrading and Co-factor Recycling with Cell Extracts
• DC 13: Computational Lipidomics and Mass Spectrometry - Learning Mechanistical Models
• DC 14: Characterize the lipid metabolic landscape of cell differentiation
• DC 15: Design of a Microfluidics Platform for Product Optimization in Multienzyme Cascades

Details on each position can be found here. Please note that there are two limitations to apply for this programme, as specified in the MSCA regulations. Applicants must:

1. Not be in possession of a PhD degree at the date of recruitment.
2. Meet the Marie-Curie mobility rule (see pages 84-85 here). In TACsy, this means the applicants are not eligible for a specific position if it is true for both host institutions of the position that the applicant for more than 12 of the last 36 months have resided or performed a main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of that host institution. The host institutions relevant to this rule are located in Austria, Denmark, and Germany. See each position description at the TACsy website for the two host institutions involved.

The anticipated start date is 1 September 2023, but flexibility in both directions is possible. All positions are fully funded, with very competitive salaries. More information on funding from the MSCA programme can be found here (beginning on page 78). Please note a country correction coefficient (page 109) applies to the living allowance in order to ensure equal treatment and purchasing power parity for all researchers. Salary rules apply to the doctoral candidates hosted in the European Union and will change depending on the host institution. Contact Information
For further information please contact Daniel Merkle, tel.: +45 6550 2322, e-mail: daniel@imada.sdu.dk.