Job Description

Your group

Fabio Petroni’s lab - EMBL Rome.

Our mission is to build AI systems that act as cognitive members of a scientific laboratory. We design and evaluate agentic AI systems that collaborate with researchers across the full discovery cycle: literature analysis, hypothesis generation, experimental design, equipment orchestration, and data interpretation.

Research and engineering are deeply integrated in the lab: ideas are built into systems, and systems enable new scientific insights.

You will have access to cutting-edge computing infrastructure and the opportunity to develop and self-host state-of-the-art language models and agents. The group works in close collaboration with wet-lab scientists and has early access to experimental data, advanced instrumentation, and deep domain expertise, enabling novel lab-in-the-loop research.

The lab is embedded within EMBL’s broader AI strategy and collaborates with leading academic and industrial partners. Candidates will be able to pursue both foundational AI research and real-world deployment in experimental scientific settings.

Your role

• Design and build agentic AI systems for life-science discovery

• Evaluate and benchmark models in real laboratory workflows

• Work at the interface between AI systems and experimental biology

• Publish high-impact research papers

You have

• A PhD in computer science, artificial intelligence, computer engineering, AI for Science, or a related field

• A strong publication record

• Experience with LLMs and agentic systems
  A strong systems background, including shell and distributed systems

• Experience with modern infrastructure such as Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, and GPUs

• Motivation to build systems that interact with real scientific environments

• Fluency in English

A background in biology is not required.

Contract length:

2 years, with possibility of extension.

Salary:

Year 1 Stipend at rate of €3.228,38 € per month after tax but excluding pension and insurance contributions.

Professional development support

The EMBL Fellows’ Career Service provides support and guidance to predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows across all six EMBL’s sites.

Working with a dedicated Careers Advisor, this invaluable service will help you to take informed decisions about your career planning both in the short and longer term. Whether your main interest is pursuing a career path in academia, exploring opportunities in industry or exploring an independent venture, the EMBL Fellows’ Career Service with provide you with a portfolio of activities and resources to help you.

To find out more please visit - EMBL-fellows-career-service

Why join us

Enjoy lots of employee benefits:

• Financial incentives: Monthly family and child allowances, generous stipend reviewed yearly, pension scheme, death benefit and unemployment insurances

• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid working patterns

• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family

• Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year in addition to public holidays

• Campus life: Free shuttle bus (Heidelberg), on-site library, subsidised on-site cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)

• Family benefits: Kindergarten (Heidelberg), 10 days of child sick leave, paid maternity & parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
  

What else you need to know

• International applicants: We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Read more on our page for international applicants

• Diversity and inclusion: At EMBL, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and scientific excellence. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and/or any other diverse backgrounds.

• Job location: All our fellowships are based on-site (for at least part of each week). If you are living overseas, you will receive a generous relocation package to support you.

• EMBL is a signatory of DORA. Find out how we apply DORA principles to our recruitment and performance assessment processes here

• How to apply: To apply please submit a cover letter and a CV through our online system. Applications will close at 23:59 CET on the date shown below. We aim to provide a response within two weeks after the closing date.

Closing Date

24/04/2026