PhD positions in AI for Science (Health, Biology)

Mission

Several PhD student positions are open in the LTS4 laboratory of EPFL in the context of the SATURNA research initiative, dedicated to decoding the dynamic choreography of RNA , and to understanding how the process itself shapes disease states at cellular and molecular scales. By combining AI innovation with RNA-focused, context-aware biology, SATURNA seeks to establish actionable principles of disease mechanisms, enabling new strategies to diagnose and treat complex human disorders.

SATURNA brings together expertise in artificial intelligence, computational RNA biology, molecular, cellular and clinical neuroscience. Within this framework, AI models are co-developed with domain experts to unlock concrete biological questions and accelerate their translation to clinic. The large and interdisciplinary research initiative is developped by the University of Bern (Switzerland), the Università della Svizzera italiana (Lugano, Switzerland), the Idiap Research Institute (Martigny, Switzerland), the National University of Singapore, and EPFL (Switzerland).

These partners are looking for talents in several domains of machine learning, AI, computational biology, and biology, to develop PhD theses across the main pillars of SATURNA, namely Language Models for RNA sequences, Graph representation learning and generative models, Knowledge-Augmented RNA modeling, Computational RNA biology and Experimental stem cell biology and RNA therapeutics.

Main duties and responsibilities

As a PhD Student in this initiative, you will be expected to develop a high quality research program, in close collaboration with partners of the SATURNA initiative. You will also have other duties such as teaching, participation to publications and outreach events, and formalities defined by your main host institutions.

Profile

We are looking for outstanding candidates who are eligible for Doctoral Programs at EPFL.

• MSc degree or exceptionally 4- or 5-year BSc degree, with backgrounds in biology, computational biology, computer science, electrical engineering, physics or applied maths
• Strong aspiration for collaborative research of impact in biology or health.
• Good communication skills, enthusiasm, scientific curiosity, good organizational skills, rigor in experimental work and high level of motivation for academic research work are important assets.
• Fluency in English is essential.

We offer

• World-class multi-cultural environment within the ETH domain
• Innovative interdisciplinary research with access to state-of-the-art facilities
• Mentoring and support for professional and personal development.
• Competitive salary and employment conditions.

Informations

Only applications submitted through the online platform are considered . Please apply by uploading a single PDF file that contains supporting information, including:

• A motivation letter
• Detailed CV and publication list when relevant
• Contact information
• The names and contact information of 3 references willing to write a recommendation letter

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with an expected starting date in Fall 2026. Only complete applications, in a single PDF file, will be reviewed.