ML / AI Internship – Protein & Antibody Design

Machine Learning / AI Internship – Protein & Antibody DesignVitruviae Inc. | Nutley, New Jersey | Fall 2026 | 10-Week Paid, Part-Time InternshipAbout the OpportunityVitruviae Inc. is seeking a motivated New Jersey-based undergraduate or graduate student, or eligible recent graduate, for a 10-week paid internship focused on applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to protein and antibody design. This opportunity is particularly well suited for students in computer science, machine learning, computational biology, bioinformatics, or related quantitative fields who are interested in applying cutting-edge AI methods to therapeutic discovery.The intern will work closely with our scientists to evaluate and apply state-of-the-art protein AI models, develop computational workflows for protein design and optimization, and use experimental data to improve predictions of therapeutic protein properties.A major goal of the internship is to connect computational protein design with experimental biology. Promising proteins designed through these approaches may be produced and tested by our research team, allowing the intern to evaluate how AI-generated predictions translate into real experimental results and potentially contribute to the development of new therapeutics.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and evaluate machine-learning approaches for protein and antibody design and optimization.Implement and benchmark state-of-the-art methods in protein language models, generative protein design, and protein structure prediction.Develop computational workflows to optimize therapeutic proteins for properties such as binding affinity, specificity, stability, solubility, and developability.Explore multi-objective optimization strategies for therapeutic antibodies and other protein therapeutics.Analyze experimental protein-engineering datasets and investigate approaches for incorporating experimental results into subsequent ML-guided design cycles.Evaluate and apply emerging protein AI tools and models, such as Boltz/BoltzGen, ESM, ProteinMPNN, RFdiffusion, AlphaFold, and related technologies.Collaborate with protein scientists and immunologists to translate computational predictions into experimentally testable designs.Present findings and recommendations to the scientific team at the conclusion of the internship.QualificationsApplicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student at a New Jersey college or university; orHave graduated from a New Jersey college or university within 12 months of the start of the internship; orBe a permanent New Jersey resident currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at a college or university outside New Jersey, subject to CAIGP eligibility requirements.Ideal candidates will have:Current enrollment in a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD program in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Data Science, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, or a related quantitative field; eligible recent graduates are also encouraged to apply.Strong programming skills in Python.Coursework or hands-on experience in machine learning, deep learning, statistical modeling, or computational biology.Familiarity with ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to independently learn, implement, and evaluate new computational methods.Interest in applying AI/ML to protein engineering, antibody design, drug discovery, cancer research, or immunology.Preferred but Not RequiredExperience in one or more of the following areas is desirable:Generative AI, transformers, or large language modelsProtein language modelsProtein structure prediction or molecular modelingComputational protein or antibody designBioinformatics or biological sequence analysisBoltz/BoltzGen, AlphaFold, ESM, ProteinMPNN, RFdiffusion, or related toolsGit/GitHub and Linux-based computational environmentsCloud or GPU-based computingPrior experience in biology, immunology, or antibody engineering is helpful but not required. Strong candidates with a computer science or machine-learning background and an interest in learning the biology are encouraged to apply.Internship DetailsDuration: 10 weeks, Fall 2026Schedule: Part-time, approximately 20 hours per weekCompensation: $20 per hour (approximately $4,000 over 10 weeks)Location: Nutley, New JerseyThis position is supported by the New Jersey Career Accelerator Internship Grant Program (CAIGP) and applicants must meet CAIGP eligibility requirements.This internship offers an opportunity to work at the intersection of generative AI, protein engineering, and therapeutic discovery, with the potential for computationally designed molecules to be experimentally produced and evaluated by our research team.Contact: Please send resume to Mahiuddin Ahmed, PhD at mahiuddina@vitruviae.com