2 PostDoc Positions at EPFL on Biological Foundation Models — EPFL
- Location
- Lausanne
- Contract
- Full-time
- Posted
- 54 days ago
Full description
General
The Artificial Intelligence in Molecular Medicine (AIMM) Lab, led by Prof. Charlotte Bunne at EPFL, sits at the interface of computer science and the life sciences, affiliated with both the School of Computer and Communication Sciences and the School of Life Sciences, as well as the EPFL AI Center.
We are recruiting two postdoctoral researchers with strong expertise in large-scale AI development and a background in biology . The positions cover the full stack of biological foundation model research: from core architecture design and pretraining at scale to integration into agentic interfaces. Both roles involve close collaboration with pharmaceutical industry partners and come with dedicated access to the Swiss National Supercomputing Centre (CSCS) and the Swiss AI Initiative.
Research directions include
- Foundation model architecture development: novel pretraining objectives, tokenization, and scalable architectures for biological data.
- Multimodal learning: representation learning across diverse biological data modalities.
- Agentic interfaces: integrating foundation models into reasoning and decision-support systems.
- Translational applications: bridging foundation model research towards impact in early drug-discovery and biomedical sciences.
We are looking for candidates with
- A PhD in machine learning, computer science, computational biology, or a closely related field (completed or near completion).
- Demonstrated experience in largescale AI development, including pretraining, finetuning, or scaling on substantial compute.
- A solid biological background; familiarity with biological data modalities is expected.
- A strong publication record at toptier ML conferences and/or life science journals.
- Excellent communication skills and enthusiasm for interdisciplinary research.
We offer
- Competitive EPFL postdoc salary and full social benefits.
- Dedicated compute allocation on CSCS and the Swiss AI Initiative.
- Direct collaboration with pharmaceutical industry partners.
- Mentorship toward an independent academic or industry research career.
- An international, collaborative environment at one of Europe's leading technical universities.
Activity rate : 100%.
Start date : ideally Fall 2026, with later start dates possible by arrangement.
To apply, please send a CV, a brief statement of research interests (1 page), and the names of two references. More information via aimm.epfl.ch . Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Questions about this listing
What salary does EPFL offer for this role?
The original listing does not state a salary. Our estimate for this role and sector in Lausanne is CHF 60'500 - 91'500 gross per year — an estimate, not a figure communicated by EPFL. The calculator on this site converts a gross salary into your actual net take-home once cross-border tax and social contributions are applied.
Is this a full-time role, and what type of contract does EPFL offer?
This listing is a full-time position. The contract type shown here comes directly from the employer's original posting; always confirm exact hours, notice period and probation length with EPFL during the application process, since these details can vary by role even within the same contract category.
Do I need a cross-border work permit for a role in Vaud?
EU/EFTA citizens living in an EU/EFTA state can apply for a G permit and can work anywhere in Switzerland: border zones no longer apply to them, and they must return home at least once a week. The Swiss employer files the request with Canton Vaud's migration office after the contract is signed. Processing times vary by canton, so confirm the specifics with Vaud's cantonal migration office or with HR during the application.
How do I apply for this position at EPFL?
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