Marco Cecchini

Université de Strasbourg is advertising a Postdoctoral Research Fellow position in molecular modelling of synaptic receptors within the IFM laboratory (UMR7177), associated with the Institut de Chimie de Strasbourg in France. The project is part of the ANR-funded GlyTrans collaboration between Strasbourg and Institut Pasteur in Paris . It focuses on understanding the conformational transitions of a prototypical synaptic receptor during activation and desensitization at atomic resolution. The work combines electrophysiology and fluorescence experiments with molecular dynamics simulations and Markov-state modelling . The selected postdoc will be responsible for setting up and running MD simulations of GlyR in different conformational states and in complex with ligands, constructing several MSMs from the MD sampling, and discussing results with the Pasteur collaborators to refine hypotheses for experimental testing. The simulations will be carried out using Gromacs , while MSM construction will use PyEMMA and Deeptime . The project will also use computing resources at the Mesocentre of Université de Strasbourg and French national HPC centres ( GENCI ). The contract is a temporary, full-time postdoctoral appointment for 12 months with possible renewal for a further 12 months , starting on 12 October 2026 . The advertised profile is for a candidate with a PhD obtained less than 3 years ago and experience in MD simulations , Markov-state modelling , and HPC resource management . Strong English communication skills and collaborative team-working ability are highlighted as important. Applications close on 25 September 2026 . Applicants should email their CV, cover letter, and diploma to Prof. Marco Cecchini at [email protected] . The posting also provides a job description and supporting documents via the listed Seafile link. This is a strong opportunity for researchers interested in computational chemistry, biomolecular simulation, receptor biophysics, and interdisciplinary collaboration between modelling and experiment.