We're Hiring – Join the Founding Digital Twin Team

The SCALE Cluster of Excellence at Goethe University Frankfurt is establishing the computational core of the cluster: the Digital Twin Team. We are seeking an interdisciplinary group of computational scientists, AI engineers, biomolecular modelers, image-analysis researchers, HPC engineers, data stewards, and visualization developers to build the first Digital Twins of subcellular architecture, develop the underlying computational platform, and help shape the methodological direction of the program.

Candidates may fit one profile or combine expertise across several—we welcome both.

Application deadline: 31 August 2026. Submit your application including CV & letter of motivation to scale-office@uni-frankfurt.de

➡️ Read the call description here.
➡️ Explore the full call, profile descriptions, and application details here.

For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Roberto Covino

The Digital Twin Team operates under the scientific leadership of Prof. Dr. Gerhard Hummer, together with Prof. Dr. Martin Beck, Prof. Dr. Roberto Covino, Prof. Dr. Achilleas Frangakis, Prof. Dr. Harald Schwalbe, Prof. Dr. Yvonne Stahl, and Prof. Dr. Tatiana Tchumatchenko.

Image credit: Original image by Till Stephan (Goethe University). Design by Patricia Vogel (FIAS) and Marina Schrecker (SCALE/MPI-BP).

𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 (𝗳/𝗺/𝗱) – 𝗘𝘂𝗸𝗮𝗿𝘆𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗺𝗥𝗡𝗔 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆

The newly funded DFG Collaborative Research Centre TRR 440 "smART – specific mRNA targeting" and the Cluster of Excellence SCALE (SubCellular Architecture of LifE) are looking for an outstanding early-career scientist to establish an independent research program in Eukaryotic mRNA Biochemistry within a highly interdisciplinary and internationally competitive research environment.

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Independent Research Group Leader in Eukaryotic mRNA Biochemistry

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: Establish an innovative and independent research program developing new approaches to control mRNA function in eukaryotic cells through specific mRNA targeting. Research areas may include sequencing- and structure-based methods to map and target mRNA structures, RNA structural probing and interactome mapping, mRNA translation in health and disease, next-generation mRNA therapeutics and oligonucleotide technologies, RNA-binding proteins, and the development of small molecules targeting disease-relevant mRNAs. Collaboration with researchers across the TRR 440 smART consortium and the SCALE Cluster of Excellence is expected.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿: A Group Leader position (TV-H 13) with an initial 3.5-year appointment, funding for one PhD student, research running costs, access to state-of-the-art infrastructure for RNA biochemistry and structural biology, and integration into both the TRR 440 smART consortium and the SCALE Cluster of Excellence at the vibrant Research Campus Riedberg.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 30 August 2026

𝗙𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: For detailed information on the position, research environment, and application requirements, please see the full job description here. Please submit your CV, a research statement of past achievements and future plans (max. 4 pages), and an annotated list of your top five publications to schwalbe@nmr.uni-frankfurt.de.

𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗳/𝗺/𝗱) – 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗡𝗔 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆

The Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) and the Cluster of Excellence SCALE (SubCellular Architecture of LifE) are looking for an outstanding early-career scientist to establish an independent research program in Computational RNA Biology within an interdisciplinary and internationally competitive research environment.

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Independent Research Group Leader in Computational RNA Biology

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: Establish an innovative and independent research program in Computational RNA Biology. Develop theoretical, computational, and AI-based approaches to investigate RNA biology and RNA-binding proteins. Contribute to the development of Digital Twins of subcellular architecture by integrating transcriptomics, ribonomics, spatial omics, structural biology, imaging, and AI. Research areas include RNA modeling, machine learning, RNA structure prediction, RNA-protein interactions, biomolecular condensates, intracellular transport, and integrative structural and spatial RNA biology. Collaboration with researchers across the SCALE Cluster and FIAS.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗲 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿: A competitive group leader salary, a 5-year appointment, funding for two PhD students, research running costs, state-of-the-art computational biology infrastructure, integration into the SCALE Cluster of Excellence and the vibrant Research Campus Riedberg, with the possibility of co-affiliation with Goethe University Frankfurt.

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 30 August 2026

𝗙𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 & 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Please submit your CV, a research statement (max 4 pages), and an annotated list of your top five publications via the online application portal.