Staff Machine Learning Scientist

BioTalent; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

BioTalent is seeking a Staff Machine Learning Scientist to advance AI/ML research in biology, focusing on early disease detection. You will develop algorithms for blood-based molecular signals and work with biologists and ML engineers in a hybrid US/Europe setting.

Ideal candidates have 6+ years post-PhD experience, strong ML/DL publications, and expertise across DL architectures (transformers, CNNs) with Python-based tooling.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent research in AI-related fields.
• 6+ years post-PhD ML/DL experience with impactful publications.
• Strong foundation in ML models and deep learning architectures.
• Proficiency in Python and at least one of R/Java/C++.
• Hands-on with PyTorch, TensorFlow or JAX and ML tooling.

Responsibilities

• Lead independent AI/ML research for biology applications (cancer, genomics, immunology).
• Develop and refine deep learning models to detect biological changes.
• Ensure models generalize across diverse datasets with robust performance.
• Apply interpretability to reveal underlying biological mechanisms.
• Collaborate with ML engineering on scalable model-training infrastructure.
• Promote an experimental, transparent research culture.

Skills

ML research

Python

R

Java/C/C++

PyTorch

TensorFlow

JAX

Hugging Face

Transformers

Self-supervised learning

Contrastive learning

DL architectures

Education

PhD in CS/Statistics/Math/Engineering/CompBio/Bioinformatics

Tools

TensorBoard

MLflow

Weights & Biases

Docker

GCP

AWS

Azure

Hugging Face

PyTorch

Job description

Job Opportunity: Staff Machine Learning Scientist

Location: US (Hybrid or Remote US or Europe based)

We are seeking a Staff Machine Learning Scientist to join a growing Machine Learning Science team within a leading computational and biological research environment. This role is ideal for a senior ML/DL expert passionate about tackling complex biological challenges—particularly in early disease detection.

You’ll develop advanced algorithms for blood-based molecular signal detection, working closely with computational biologists, molecular biologists, and ML engineers. Your work will directly shape breakthrough scientific programs and have meaningful real-world impact.

What You’ll Do

• Drive independent, cutting-edge AI/ML research applied to biology (e.g., cancer, genomics, immunology).
• Build and refine deep learning models to detect biological changes linked to disease.
• Ensure models generalize robustly across datasets with high predictive performance.
• Apply interpretability techniques to uncover underlying biological mechanisms.
• Collaborate with ML Engineering on scalable model-training infrastructure.
• Contribute to a transparent, thoughtful, and experimental research culture.

Must-Have Qualifications

• PhD (or equivalent research experience) in AI-focused fields such as CS, Statistics, Mathematics, Engineering, Computational Biology, or Bioinformatics.
• 6+ years post-PhD industry or postdoc experience applying ML/DL.
• Proven track record of impactful ML/DL research and publications.
• Strong grasp of foundational ML models (GLMs, kernels, forests, neural nets, boosting).
• Deep experience with modern DL architectures (LLMs, CNNs, transformers, etc.).
• Expertise in supervised, self-supervised, and contrastive learning.
• Proficiency in Python, R, Java, C/C++, or similar languages.
• Hands-on experience with PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX; plus platforms like Hugging Face.
• Familiarity with ML tooling such as TensorBoard, MLflow, or Weights & Biases.
• Excellent cross-disciplinary communication and collaborative skills.

Nice-to-Have Experience

• Computational biology, genomics, proteomics, or related domains.
• DL approaches for genomic data or experience with DNA foundation models.
• NGS data analysis and bioinformatics workflows.
• Cloud ML environments (Docker, GCP, AWS, Azure).

Total compensation includes a competitive salary range, equity, bonus eligibility, and comprehensive medical and financial benefits. Final compensation may vary based on experience, location, and skill level.

If you’re passionate about using advanced machine learning to impact human health and want to work at the forefront of computational biology, we’d love to hear from you.