Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine

Ref.: 536944
Work type: Full-time
Department: Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine (20700)
Categories: Senior Research Staff & Post-doctoral Fellow

Applications are invited for appointment as Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine (Ref.: 536944), to commence as soon as possible for two to three years, with the possibility of renewal and promotion subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance.

This position is primarily computational/dry-lab. The successful candidate will work closely with our wet-lab team to address key questions of the field. Candidates with a hybrid background (strong computational skills plus hands-on molecular/virology experience) are particularly encouraged to apply, but pure computational biologists are also welcome.

Requirements

Applicants should possess a Ph.D. degree in Virology, Immunology, Microbiology, Pathogen Biology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Mathematics, Computer Science, or a related discipline. They should be responsible, self-motivated, attentive to detail, and a strong command of English. The candidate must possess a strong publication record that demonstrate their capacity of using bioinformatic platforms in life science research.

The candidate should be proficient in at least one programming language (e.g., R, Python, C, or C++). The candidate should have strong expertise in at least one of the following thematic areas (expertise in multiple is a plus, but not required):

• Multi-omics & Single-cell Analysis: Processing and interpretation of multi-omics and single-cell datasets (e.g., scRNA-seq) to investigate cellular heterogeneity, host-pathogen interactions, and immune responses. 
• Structural Bioinformatics & Biophysical Modeling: Protein structure prediction (e.g., AlphaFold, RoseTTAFold, ESMFold), molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, or protein-protein/antigen-antibody docking to investigate viral spike/capsid architecture, thermal stability, and immune epitope accessibility.
• AI/Deep Learning: ML/DL model development (e.g., PyTorch, Lightning) for predicting antigenicity, genetic variation, and viral evolution.
• Genomics & Bioinformatics: Viral genome-based evolutionary analysis, Linux/HPC-based analysis, and NGS workflow development (e.g., Snakemake, Bash).

Key Responsibilities

The appointee will join a vibrant multidisciplinary team focusing on emerging infectious diseases. He/She will be working on studies focusing on virus-host interaction, pathogenic determinants, and/or virus evolution. He/She will be expected to independently lead research projects in the aforementioned areas, write manuscripts, assist in grant applications, and co-supervise junior researchers and graduate students.

Recent representative works of the group include Nat Commun, 2025, PMID:41381428; Nat Commun, 2025, PMID: 40670362; PNAS, 2025, PMID: 40402245; Nat Commun, 2024, PMID: 39379369; Sci Adv, 2023, PMID: 36662861; Nature, 2022, PMID: 35062016; Nature, 2022, PMID: 35922005.

For enquiries about the duties of the post, please contact Prof. Hin Chu (https://hkumicro.hku.hk/university-staff/dr-chu-hin/) at hinchu@hku.hk.

What We Offer

A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered, in addition to annual leave and medical benefits.

How to Apply

The University only accepts online applications for the above post. Applicants should apply online and upload:

1. An up-to-date CV;
2. Two reference letters from academic supervisors (preferably including one from the Ph.D. supervisor);
3. Relevant supporting documents (academic transcripts, publication list, research experience, and representative outputs).

Review of applications will start as soon as possible and continue until December 31, 2026, or until the post is filled, whichever is earlier.