Postdoctoral Researcher - Software Development

Applications are invited for the position of Postdoctoral Researcher - Software Development, 2 Year Fixed Term Contract, in the School of Chemical Sciences (SCS) at Dublin City University (DCU). The successful candidate will join a Research Ireland Frontiers for the Future Programme project led by Dr Darren Fayne, titled “Mapping the human pocketome - using pharmacophores to enable drug discovery applications.”

The project will model the 3D structure of all human proteins, identify plausible binding sites and create pharmacophores unique to each pocket, describing key features required for small molecules to bind. We will combine experimentally determined protein structures with structures predicted by AlphaFold2 to complete the structural human proteome, analyse known and previously unknown binding sites and map pharmacophores to each site. This will form the foundation for future development of pharmacologically-active molecules using the software. The candidate will work on this well-resourced project with two PhD students, both starting in September 2026.

• Use a combination of CUDA, Python and C++ programming to develop CADD tools which will curate the human proteome, upgrade the group’s MoPBS software, develop new GPU-enabled pharmacophore searching software and validate the platform.
• Contribute to the development and application of CUDA software as an essential pre-requisite for this role.

• Essential prerequisite: Expertise in the development and application of CUDA software.

Postdoctoral Researcher Salary Scale – €46,805 – €50,670 (Point 1 to Point 4).

Closing Date: Sunday, 10th May 2026.

Please note this role does not meet criteria for a Critical Skills permit as stipulated by the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment.

The University’s Athena Swan Silver Award signifies the University’s commitment to promoting gender equality and addressing any gender pay gaps. Information on a range of university policies aimed at creating a supportive and flexible work environment is available in the DCU Policy Starter Packs.

For more information please visit the School of Chemical Sciences. Informal inquiries should be directed to: Dr Darren Fayne, Assistant Professor, School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University. xcfaprz Email: Please do not send applications to this email address; apply as described in the online system.