Senior Scientist, Computational Biology

Tessera Therapeutics; Somerville (MA); Hybrid; USD 141,000 - 171,000; Full time

Job summary

Tessera Therapeutics in Somerville, MA, is seeking a highly motivated Computational Biologist to join the Computational Biology team. You will design and run experiments with biologists, develop tools for processing molecular data, and present findings to an interdisciplinary audience.

The role is hybrid with onsite 2–3 days per week in Somerville, and local Boston-area candidates are preferred. Collaboration with data/software engineers is essential to scale analyses and support gene writing

Qualifications

• PhD with 5+ years of experience or MS with 10+ years or BS with 12+ years.
• Broad knowledge of genome editing technologies and off-target discovery assays.
• Hands-on experience developing, executing, and troubleshooting NGS analysis pipelines in cloud-based environments.
• Experience with AWS/cloud computing, version control, reproducible analysis practices, and software development best practices.
• Experience with workflow tools such as Nextflow, Dagster, or equivalent systems.
• Experience with AI tools for daily work.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Platform teams to analyze multi-omics data and understand gene writing systems.
• Design, analyze, and interpret data from research and preclinical projects to develop strong hypotheses.
• Work closely with experimental scientists to ensure data informs high-level decisions.
• Present scientific findings to senior leadership to drive program decisions.
• Be part of a dynamic team in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Skills

NGS pipeline development

Cloud computing

AI tools

Biology data analysis

Version control (Git)

Education

PhD

MS

BS

Tools

Nextflow

Dagster

AWS

Git

Job description

Somerville, Massachusetts, United States

• PhD with 5+ years of experience in academic or industry setting, MS with 10+ years of experience or BS with 12+ years of experience
• Broad knowledge of genome editing technologies and associated off-target discovery assays (i.e. WGS; targeted sequencing; GUIDE-seq, Digenome-seq discovery / verification; large and small structural variations and translation effects; NGS QC)
• Hands-on experience developing, executing, and troubleshooting NGS analysis pipelines in cloud-based environments.
• Experience with AWS/cloud computing, version control, reproducible analysis practices, and software development best practices.
• Experience with workflow tools such as Nextflow, Dagster, or equivalent systems.
• Experience with AI tools for your daily work.

You are interested in

• Working both independently and as part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team to design, analyze, and interpret multi-omics technologies focused on understanding gene writing systems.
• Processing, analyzing, and interpreting data from a wide variety of research and preclinical projects to develop rigorous hypotheses.
• Collaborating closely with experimental scientists to ensure that data is effectively utilized for high-level impact.
• Presenting scientific findings to broad audiences, including senior leadership, to drive decision making in program teams.
• Becoming part of a dynamic, expanding team in a fast-paced and supportive environment with different groups and experts from various backgrounds.

About you:

We are seeking a highly motivated scientist with a strong computational background and significant experience in biological research. As part of the Computational Biology team, you will collaborate closely with Platform teams to advance our technologies and deepen our understanding of reagent biology. Your role will involve (1) working with biologists to design and run experiments, (2) developing methods and tools for processing and interpreting molecular data, and (3) presenting findings to an interdisciplinary audience. Your curiosity and passion will fuel your discoveries, while strong connections with biologists and data/software engineers will amplify the impact of your work.

This is a hybrid role based in Somerville, MA, with an expectation of working onsite 2–3 days per week. We are considering candidates who are local to the Boston area or able to meet this onsite expectation.

Tessera employees are creative and collaborative problem solvers. They have a strong sense of integrity and unwavering commitment to scientific excellence.

Meet your Manager:

Andrea holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Milan-Bicocca, with a focus on computational biology. He has more than 15 years of experience in gene therapy, computational genomics, and genomic safety. Before joining Tessera, Andrea worked at the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy in Milan, where he led molecular follow-up analyses for patients enrolled in clinical gene therapy studies. His work focused on viral vector safety, insertional mutagenesis, and human hematopoietic stem cell dynamics in vivo. Andrea joined Tessera in 2023 and leads the Computational Biology team. His group supports drug candidate programs through genotoxicity risk assessment, develops computational approaches to study gene writing biology, and builds scalable data and analysis infrastructure to support molecular assay design and knowledge mining. Andrea has authored numerous scientific publications and has an h-index of 26. His ORCID is https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3515-3384.

As Head of Talent Management at Tessera Therapeutics, Ben leads Tessera’s talent strategy across talent acquisition, performance management, and talent mobility.

Ben began his career as an in vivo Pharmacologist, which gave him a lasting appreciation for the rigor, creativity, and collaboration that drive scientific discovery. That foundation continues to shape how he helps build organizations designed to enable science thrive.

Ben is focused on aligning exceptional people with bold science – creating the structure, clarity, and culture that empower teams to scale effectively and achieve meaningful impact.

Compensation:

The stated base salary range represents Tessera’s good-faith estimate for this role. Actual compensation will be determined based on a number of factors, including but not limited to individual qualifications, years of relevant experience, internal compensation alignment, and external market data.

Tessera offers a competitive package of base and incentive compensation as well as a comprehensive benefits program designed to support the health, wellness, and financial security of our employees and their families. Benefits currently include group medical, vision, and dental coverage; group life and disability insurance; a 401(k) plan with company contribution; tuition reimbursement; and more.

This position is also eligible for an annual incentive bonus and equity grants as part of Tessera’s total rewards program.

Per Year Salary Range: $141,000 - $171,000 USD

Company Summary:

Tessera Therapeutics is pioneering Gene Writing— a new biotechnology designed to offer scientists and clinicians the ability to write small and large therapeutic messages into the genome, thereby curing diseases at their source. Gene Writing holds the potential to become a new category in genetic medicine, building upon recent breakthroughs in gene therapy and gene editing while eliminating important limitations in their reach, utilization, and efficacy.

More about Tessera Therapeutics:

Tessera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, marital status, genetics, protected veteran status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic identified by federal, state, or local laws where we operate. Tessera provides reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. To begin an interactive dialogue with Tessera regarding a reasonable accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied, please contact the recruiter or [e-mail]

Recruitment & Staffing Agencies:

Tessera Therapeutics does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Tessera Therapeutics or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Tessera Therapeutics’ internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Tessera Therapeutics, and Tessera Therapeutics will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.