Postdoctoral Researcher – Advanced Free‑Energy Methods

About the role

The laboratory of Prof. Antonino Marco Saitta and Prof. Fabio Pietrucci at Université Pierre et Marie Curie – Sorbonne invites applications for an 18‑month postdoctoral position. The research focuses on developing and applying advanced ab‑initio free‑energy techniques, such as metadynamics, to model the synthesis of fundamental biochemical building blocks under realistic prebiotic conditions.

Key responsibilities

• Perform ab‑initio molecular dynamics simulations combined with metadynamics to explore reaction pathways of prebiotic molecules.
• Reconstruct free‑energy landscapes and identify novel reaction mechanisms.
• Collaborate closely with experimental partners from several Parisian institutes to propose experiments and interpret results.
• Contribute to the preparation of scientific publications and conference presentations.

Required profile

• PhD in computational physics, computational chemistry, or a closely related field.
• Strong background in reaction chemistry in solution and/or at interfaces.
• Experience with ab‑initio molecular dynamics; familiarity with free‑energy methods such as metadynamics is highly desirable.

Required skills

• Ab‑initio molecular dynamics
• Metadynamics and other free‑energy calculation techniques
• Computational chemistry/physics
• Reaction chemistry in solution and interfaces

What we offer

• 18‑month fixed‑term fellowship funded by the Sorbonne Excellence Cluster “MATISSE”.
• Integration in a multidisciplinary consortium involving leading experimental groups in Paris.
• Dynamic research environment with postdocs, PhD students, and undergraduate interns.
• Opportunities to present work at international conferences and workshops.