Principal Scientist – Data Insights & Hypothesis Design

Tempus AI; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Tempus AI seeks a Principal Scientist to ensure scientific coherence of its multimodal data platform, bridging molecular science with scalable data engineering. You will lead data strategy, prototyping, and validation across oncology, neurology, and immunology, driving reproducible science and AI-enabled insights.

You will work with cross-functional teams to align client objectives with Tempus capabilities, shaping data products and clinical solutions while advancing terabyte-scale datasets and

Qualifications

• PhD in a quantitative discipline with 6+ years in precision medicine or translational research.
• Deep expertise in oncology, neurology, or immunology and large clinico-genomic datasets across diseases.
• Experience designing scalable data architectures and collaborating with data engineering teams.
• Knowledge of cutting-edge AI models and foundation models for biological data.
• Proficiency in Python or R for reproducible scientific analytics.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate data, prototype offerings, and produce production-grade specifications.
• Translate client research objectives into clinico-genomic data strategies and dataset mappings.
• Act as scientific authority across the organization, delivering validated evidence and data insights.
• Support cross-domain data growth across neuro, oncology, and immunology with scalable data practices.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Data interpretation

Education

PhD in quantitative field (NGS/biomedical)

Tools

SQL

Python

R

Job description

Passionate about precision medicine and advancing the healthcare industry? Recent advancements in underlying technology have finally made it possible for AI to impact clinical care in a meaningful way. Tempus' proprietary platform connects an entire ecosystem of real‑world evidence to deliver real‑time, actionable insights to physicians, providing critical information about the right treatments for the right patients, at the right time.

Principal Scientist – Data Insights & Hypothesis Design

As a Principal Scientist on the Data Insights and Hypothesis Design team, you will ensure the scientific coherence of Tempus’ multimodal data platform while bridging the gap between complex molecular science and scalable data engineering. This position requires strong computational, statistical, and translational research skills, alongside a deep interest in reproducible science and artificial intelligence. You will serve as a cornerstone for expanding our multi‑modal applications beyond our foundational oncology roots, actively spearheading scientific efforts to support emerging, large‑scale datasets in neurology (Alzheimer’s disease) and Immunology & Inflammation (I&I).

Role Focus & Scientific Impact

In this position, you will act as a highly specialized subject matter expert, anchoring our data strategy with deep domain expertise across multiple therapeutic areas. Your impact will be driven by a balance of hands‑on technical execution such as data prototyping and code creation and the strategic delegation of modular tasks to effectively scale projects. While you will work closely with cross‑functional teams to support go‑to‑market strategies with rigorous scientific insights and validation, your primary focus will remain on scientific excellence, enablement, and data integrity.

Key Responsibilities

• Data Evaluation & Prototyping: Conduct rigorous data evaluations, write technical code (SQL, R, Python), and prototype new data offerings within the Tempus Data Model (TDM). Deliver implementation‑ready table and column specifications to seamlessly transition initial concepts into scalable, production‑grade offerings.
• Client Alignment & Scientific Advisory: Translate complex client research objectives across the drug discovery and development lifecycle into actionable clinico‑genomic data strategies. Ensure seamless alignment between client hypotheses and Tempus capabilities, effectively matching the right datasets to their specific research needs and guiding how to best leverage them.
• Cross‑Functional Subject Matter Expertise: Serve as a core scientific authority across the organization. Evaluate datasets, perform User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and build data insight reports and capability demonstrations that empower various teams with scientifically validated evidence.
• Cross‑Domain Data Oversight: Support the continuous growth and scaling of Tempus' expanding clinical‑genomic footprint across diverse disease domains, with an active focus on neurology and Immunology. Bring a holistic, cross‑disciplinary view of human biology to profile and validate terabyte‑scale datasets, leveraging a proven track record of scientific agility to seamlessly adapt, uncover novel biological patterns, and extract meaningful findings across varying disease areas.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: PhD in a quantitative, NGS‑related discipline (e.g., Computational Biology, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Systems Biology) with 6+ years of industry experience across precision medicine, translational research, scientific product development, or related commercial and operational areas.
• Domain Expertise: Deep expertise in at least one of oncology, neurology, or immunology. Additionally strong, demonstrable experience analyzing large‑scale clinico‑genomic datasets across multiple disease areas.
• Data Engineering & Scale Architecture: Proven experience collaborating directly with data engineering and platform teams to build large‑scale relational databases, design advanced SQL data models, and support the robust infrastructure needed to create and deploy massive, production‑grade models.
• Emerging AI & Foundational Modeling Knowledge: Active, up‑to‑date expertise with cutting‑edge computational modeling, including experience leveraging foundation models, generative AI architectures, and agentic workflows to interpret and navigate complex biological data.
• Multi‑Omic & NGS Modalities: Deep expertise executing multi‑omic analyses across a diverse spectrum of high‑throughput sequencing applications and biotechnologies, including specialized NGS modalities such as single‑cell sequencing, immunomics, metagenomics, and varied sequencing platforms.
• Translational Impact: Proven experience bringing data to market and translating scientific analyses into production‑grade data products or clinical‑facing solutions.
• Programming: Proficiency in Python and/or R for reproducible scientific analysis, workflow development, and data visualization.
• Strategic Leadership: Strong cross‑functional communication skills with the ability to architect end‑to‑end execution plans, manage client expectations, and mentor technical peers through structured delegation.

Salary: CHI: $150,000‑$200,000 NYC/SF: $165,000‑$225,000. The expected salary range above is applicable if the role is performed from California and may vary for other locations (Colorado, Illinois, New York). Actual salary may vary based on qualifications and experience. Tempus offers a full range of benefits, which may include incentive compensation, restricted stock units, medical and other benefits depending on the position.

Additionally, for remote roles open to individuals in unincorporated Los Angeles—including remote roles—Tempus reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment: engaging positively with customers and other employees; accessing confidential information, including intellectual property, trade secrets, and protected health information; and appropriately handling such information in accordance with legal and ethical standards. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable law, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.