Lead Bioinformatician - Drug Discovery

Placements24; Cape Town; Sur place; ZAR 1 200 000 - 2 200 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Health insurance

Pension fund

Paid time off

Leadership development

Scientific seminars and conferences

Résumé du poste

Placements24 in Cape Town is seeking a Lead Bioinformatician to drive computational analysis for drug discovery. You will lead pipelines for genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, and collaborate with experimental teams to shape target identification and validation.

The role emphasizes leadership, data governance, cloud-based workflows, and mentoring junior scientists, with exposure to cutting-edge technologies in a vibrant biotech community in Cape Town.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, CS, Statistics or related field.
• 7+ years in bioinformatics or computational biology, pharma R&D preferred.
• Proven pipeline development experience with omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics).
• Strong statistical and machine learning background for biological data.
• Experience with relational databases (SQL) and cloud computing.
• Ability to lead, mentor, and communicate with multidisciplinary teams.

Responsabilités

• Lead development and maintenance of bioinformatics pipelines for multi-omics data.
• Design strategies for target identification and validation in drug discovery.
• Manage large biological datasets with data integrity and querying efficiency.
• Collaborate with experimental teams to guide experimental design.
• Develop ML models to extract actionable insights from data.
• Build scalable data infrastructure and cloud-enabled workflows.
• Present findings to senior management and research teams.
• Mentor junior bioinformaticians and data scientists.
• Stay updated on advances in bioinformatics and cheminformatics.

Connaissances

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Problem-solving

Communication

Machine learning

Biology intuition

Cloud computing

Data modeling

Formation

Ph.D. in Bioinformatics

Outils

Python

R

SQL

Docker

AWS/Azure/GCP

Description du poste

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering biotechnology company focused on novel drug discovery, is looking for an experienced Lead Bioinformatician to spearhead computational analysis efforts in their Cape Town research hub. This senior position will be instrumental in leveraging large-scale omics data, including genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, to identify and validate new drug targets and understand disease mechanisms. The Lead Bioinformatician will be responsible for developing and implementing robust computational pipelines, managing complex biological datasets, and collaborating closely with experimental biologists and medicinal chemists. This is a critical role that requires a blend of deep computational expertise, biological acumen, and strong leadership skills. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape the computational strategy for drug discovery programs and contribute to bringing life-changing therapies to patients. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and innovative research environment in Cape Town .

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and maintenance of sophisticated bioinformatics pipelines for analyzing diverse biological datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, etc.).
• Design and execute computational strategies for target identification and validation in the context of drug discovery.
• Manage and curate large, complex biological datasets, ensuring data integrity, accessibility, and efficient querying.
• Collaborate closely with experimental teams to provide computational support, interpret results, and guide experimental design in Cape Town .
• Develop and apply statistical and machine learning models to identify patterns, predict outcomes, and extract actionable insights from biological data.
• Build and manage scalable data infrastructure and workflows, potentially involving cloud computing resources.
• Present complex computational findings to both technical and non-technical audiences, including senior management and research teams.
• Mentor and train junior bioinformaticians and data scientists within the drug discovery division.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, and computational biology relevant to drug discovery.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• A minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in bioinformatics or computational biology, with a substantial portion dedicated to drug discovery or a related pharmaceutical R&D area.
• Proven expertise in developing and implementing complex bioinformatics pipelines using programming languages such as Python, R, and potentially shell scripting.
• Hands-on experience with various omics data types (e.g., RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq, WGS, proteomics) and associated analysis tools and databases.
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, machine learning techniques, and their application to biological data.
• Experience with large-scale data management, relational databases (e.g., SQL), and potentially NoSQL databases.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) and containerization technologies (e.g., Docker) is highly desirable.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to translate biological questions into computational solutions.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to collaborate effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment in Cape Town .

Benefits

Our client offers an attractive compensation package commensurate with experience, including a competitive base salary, performance-based bonuses, and comprehensive benefits such as health insurance, a pension fund, and paid time off. You will have the opportunity to work with a highly motivated team on impactful projects that aim to revolutionize healthcare. This role provides significant opportunities for professional growth, leadership development, and exposure to cutting-edge technologies in the vibrant city of Cape Town . We also provide a stimulating work environment with regular scientific seminars and access to leading conferences.