Our society is changing. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies are playing an increasingly important role in our society. To this end Leiden University has started a new, university wide initiative to enable collaboration on the use of AI. By building on and expanding the already existing expertise of AI the project intends to advance science and improve the quality of our life. All the disciplines of the University of Leiden are involved: Archeology, Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, Public Administration, Sciences, and also the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), to collaborate and appoint new staff with joint interests. Leiden University has earmarked dedicated funding for the appointment of full professors, assistant professors, a post-doc and support staff to facilitate the expansion of AI related research at all its departments.

Key responsibilities
The main goal of the chair in Artificial Intelligence in Medicinal Chemistry is to develop and apply AI methods for chemical biology and drug discovery, specifically in multi-objective optimization, dimensionality reduction, and clustering.

This position will form a bridge between the institutes LACDR and LIC. The chair will interact with several existing groups that focus on Computational Drug Discovery, Molecular Physiology, Medicinal Chemistry, and Bio-Organic Synthesis.  The professor will participate in and initiate research projects of LIC and LACDR and will supervise PhD students.”

See full profile: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/binaries/content/assets/werken-bij/bijlage-vac-19-364-artificial-intelligence-in-chemistry.pdf

We offer a full-time temporary appointment for a period of 5 years with a view to a permanent contract depending on good performance and funding.  Salary range from € 5.582,- to € 8.127,- gross per month (pay scale H2 in accordance with the Collective Labour Agreement for Dutch Universities).

Leiden University offers an attractive benefits package with additional holiday (8%) and end-of-year (8.3 %) bonuses, training, career development and sabbatical leave. Our individual choices model gives you some freedom to assemble your own set of terms and conditions. For international spouses we have set up a dual career programme. Candidates from outside the Netherlands may be eligible for a substantial tax break. For more information, see http://workingat.leiden.edu/

Leiden University requires teaching staff to obtain the University Teaching Qualification (UTQ). If the successful applicant does not already possess this qualification or its equivalent, he/she must be willing to obtain this Qualification within two years.

Diversity and Work-life balance
Leiden University is strongly committed to diversity within its community and especially welcomes applications from members of underrepresented groups. For more information: www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/about-faculty-of-science/diversity

The Faculty of Science strives for excellence in a caring Institute. We wish to reflect society in all aspects, as we believe that this improves the dynamics in our organization. Therefore, we support and understand the need for a work/life/family balance and consequently varying working hours and places. We believe that doing good science is fun, and goes hand in hand with a driven yet friendly culture. In the Netherlands,  parental leave is standard for 16 weeks. Child care is available at and near the Bio Science Park.

Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research
The division of BioTherapeutics is part of the Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR). Our institute is a centre of excellence for multidisciplinary research on drug discovery and development. Leiden University consistently ranks within the top-20 world-wide within the subject-based QS Ranking in Pharmacology and Pharmacy. At LACDR, we develop innovative scientific concepts in fundamental and translational research underlying the discovery and optimization of drugs, and personalised medicines. We aim to optimise the route to novel drugs that are both efficacious and safe, and therefore our research focuses on drug and target discovery, bio-therapeutics and systems pharmacology. State-of-the-art expertise and infrastructures ensure that we are strategically positioned in (inter)national collaborations, thus further strengthening the development of novel concepts and their application in a clinical and industry environment.

LACDR has close on-going collaborations with the Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC) and the Centre for Human Drug Research (CHDR).  More information about the LACDR can be found at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/science/drug-research.

The Leiden Institute of Chemistry
The Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) is the basis for research and collaborations of the Leiden chemistry groups. Chemistry is the central science enabling a healthy future in a sustainable society. Chemistry researchers at Leiden University take a fundamental approach in finding tailored solutions for complex societal problems in human health and environmental issues.

The chemistry and life science research in the Leiden Institute of Chemistry is organised around two major research clusters: Chemical Biology and Energy & Sustainability.