Area of research:
Scientific / postdoctoral posts
Job description: Agentic AI Research Engineer (f/m/x)
102864
Full time
39 hrs./week
Neuherberg near Munich
Partial Home Office possible
At Helmholtz Munich, we develop groundbreaking solutions for a healthier society in a rapidly changing world. We believe that diverse perspectives drive innovation. Through strong partnerships, we accelerate the transfer of new ideas from the lab to real-life applications, improving lives.
The
Computational Health Center (CHC)
at Helmholtz Munich drives research at the intersection of artificial intelligence, data science, and biomedicine with the goal of enabling more precise and predictive health solutions. Within this environment, the Accessible Biomedical AI Research Group
focuses on developing practical, transparent, and robust AI systems that can be used effectively by scientists in their day-to-day research activities. To strengthen these efforts, we are partnering closely with the Helmholtz AI Consultant Team, which supports researchers across the Helmholtz Association in the adoption of AI methods and best practices. Together, we aim to bring the next generation of agentic AI support systems into real-world computational biology workflows at the CHC.
We offer you:
* A unique opportunity to shape the next generation of agentic AI tools for biomedical research.
* A highly interdisciplinary environment connecting AI, computational biology, human–computer interaction, and research software engineering.
* Close collaboration with the Helmholtz AI Consultant Team, providing direct exposure to a broad range of scientific use cases.
* Access to state-of-the-art computational resources and an open, collaborative research ecosystem.
Your tasks
You will lead the development of reliable agentic AI systems that support biomedical researchers in their daily workflows.
* Design and implement modular, protocol-driven AI workflows (e.g., task decomposition, planning, tool integration, validation loops) for real-world research scenarios.
* Develop and maintain production-quality software (primarily Python) to enable AI-assisted research processes across computational biology.
* Prototype, benchmark, and iteratively improve agentic systems with a strong focus on robustness, transparency, and reproducibility.
* Conduct structured exchanges with researchers to understand workflows, identify friction points, and translate user needs into technical solutions.
* Collaborate closely with Helmholtz AI, bioinformatics, and research data management teams to co-develop open, reusable infrastructure.
* Contribute to publications and open-source initiatives in areas such as agentic AI, human–AI interaction, and reproducible computational science.
Your profile
* PhD in Computer Science, AI, Human-Computer Interaction, Computational Biology, Software Engineering, or a related field (or MSc with substantial professional experience).
* Strong software engineering skills in Python, including testing, packaging, and maintainable code development.
* Experience building or working with agentic systems, LLM-based tool use, or workflow orchestration frameworks.
* Ability to design modular workflows, APIs, or CLI-based architectures for complex systems.
* Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate across technical and scientific disciplines.
Desirable qualifications
* Experience with user research methods (e.g., interviews, workflow analysis, usability testing).
* Familiarity with computational biology workflows, FAIR principles, metadata standards, or knowledge representation systems.
* Interest in human–AI collaboration and socio-technical system design.
* Experience contributing to open-source projects.
If you fulfill all the requirements, you may be eligible for a salary grade of up to E 13. Social benefits are based on the Collective Wage Agreement for Public-Sector Employees (TVöD). The position has an (initial) fixed term of 2 years but may be extended under certain circumstances.
Managing Director Mike Frieser: „We believe that diversity is the key to groundbreaking research and innovative solutions. Our flexible working models and remote options create a supportive environment for balancing work and family life. For us, contributing to a healthier society in such an inspiring workplace is truly meaningful.“
Get to know us
Benefits
* Career Development: Postdoc program, scientific training & career center with tailored offers
* Scientific Resources: State-of-the-art infrastruture and Core Facilities
* Recreation: 30 days annual leave, flexi days, plus public holidays
* International Staff Service: Support with the relocation and integration process in Germany
* Health Promotion: Sports, company doctor, mental health initiatives
Interested in applying?
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Sebastian Lobentanzer, sebastian.lobentanzer@helmholtz-munich.de, who will be happy to help.
Our recruiting is decentralized - your application will be reviewed directly by the specialist department in which you could work in the future.
More information about our application process
Please send your application only via our online application tool and with the following documents:
* CV
* Cover letter
* Degrees/Diplomas/Certificates
* Contact details for at least two referees
If you have obtained a university degree abroad, we will require further documents from you regarding the comparability of your degree by the time you start work at the latest.
Please request the Statement of Comparability for Foreign Higher Education Qualifications as early as possible.
We are committed to promoting a culture of diversity and welcome applications from talented people regardless of gender, cultural background, nationality, ethnicity, sexual identity, physical abilities, religion or age. Qualified applicants with physical disabilities will be given preference.
Learn more about diversity at Helmholtz Munich
Our commitment
Helmholtz Munich
Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH)
Institute of Computational Biology
Ingolstädter Landstraße 1
85764 Neuherberg
This research center is part of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers. With more than 42,000 employees and an annual budget of over € 5 billion, the Helmholtz Association is Germany's largest scientific organisation.
Company
The Helmholtz Association contributes to solving major challenges to assure the future of our society. With more than 47.500 people on staff in 18 national Research Centers and an annual budget of more than 6 billion euros, the Helmholtz Association is Germany’s largest scientific organization. The name Helmholtz stands for concerted research, in which networks form the key principle behind inquiring thought and action.
The profile of the Helmholtz Association
The Helmholtz Association performs cutting-edge research which contributes substantially to solving the grand challenges of science, society and industry. To succeed in meeting these responsibilities, Helmholtz concentrates its work in six research fields: Energy, Earth and Environment, Health, Information, Matter, as well as Aeronautics, Space and Transport. Within each of these fields, research programs are developed by our scientists and regularly evaluated by renowned international experts. Their evaluation forms the basis for the program-oriented funding that is allocated to Helmholtz research. Within the six research fields, Helmholtz scientists cooperate with each other and with external partners – working across disciplinary, organizational and national borders.
Moreover, Helmholtz specializes in large-scale research infrastructures – from accelerator facilities, earth observation satellites, research ships to supercomputers. They form the basis for scientific advances in tackling global societal challenges. Managing national research infrastructure is part of the Helmholtz Association's mission.
Promoting young academics
Helmholtz scientists, a high-performance infrastructure and modern and efficient research management are the ingredients to the Helmholtz Association‘s success and global impact.
Promoting young researchers is a major priority for the Helmholtz Association. Its qualification schemes for young researchers are geared mainly towards PhD students, postdocs and young managers. The Helmholtz Association has set high standards for its talent management. Its strategy begins with targeted recruitment of highly qualified staff at all levels, followed by comprehensive support aimed at further developing their potential. Ensuring equal opportunities is an essential element in all talent management activities undertaken by the Helmholtz Association.
The Helmholtz Graduate Schools and Research Schools at almost all Helmholtz Centers provide doctoral students with the general and specific skills and training they need, as well as ample opportunity to network. The period following a doctorate is decisive in determining the direction and success of a scientific career. For this reason, we established Career Development Centers for postdoctoral researchers in the Helmholtz Centers. This equips young researchers with the skills they need to go on to head a Helmholtz Investigator Group, for example. As an Investigator Group leader, junior scientists can independently set up their own group to conduct research in their specialist field and acquire management skills.
Within its talent management strategy, the Helmholtz Association pays special attention to the increased recruitment of talented female scientists both from Germany and abroad. To this end, there are currently two funding programs supporting this policy: and Helmholtz Distinguished Professorship – Funding for the recruitment of leading international female scientists (W3) .
The increasing complexity of the content, structures and framework conditions of scientific work today requires researchers to organize their projects, their employees and, of course, themselves in a highly professional and effective way. In response to these demands, we have set up the Helmholtz Leadership Academy to provide leaders in science with professional management training. Furthermore, the Helmholtz network provides a platform for the alumni of the Helmholtz Leadership Academy to come together and share their experiences of leadership, career development and lifelong learning.
All of this combined makes the 18 Research Centers of the Helmholtz Association a highly attractive environment for talented researchers from all over the world.
Company info
Telephone
0049-30-206329-0
Location
Anna-Louisa-Karsch-Str. 2
Berlin
Berlin
10178
Germany