Lead Computational Biologist - Omics and Discovery

Placements24; Bloemfontein; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement provisions

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 in Bloemfontein seeks a Lead Computational Biologist to lead computational biology projects, analyze omics data, and mentor a team of researchers. You will design algorithms, collaborate with experimental biologists, and help drive grant-funded research in disease mechanisms and drug development.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD in a quantitative field, 7+ years post-doctoral experience, strong leadership, and fluency with Python, R, and shell scripting.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Statistics, or related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 7 years of post-doctoral experience in computational biology or bioinformatics.
• Demonstrated experience leading research projects and managing scientific teams.
• Proficiency in Python, R, and shell scripting.
• Must have legal authorization to work in South Africa.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of computational biology projects.
• Analyze and interpret large-scale omics datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics).
• Develop and apply novel algorithms and software tools for biological data analysis.
• Collaborate closely with experimental biologists to design studies and validate findings.
• Mentor and supervise junior computational biologists and research assistants.
• Manage project timelines, resources, and deliverables.
• Present research findings at scientific conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals.
• Contribute to grant writing and secure external funding for research initiatives.
• Stay updated on the latest advancements in computational biology, bioinformatics, and relevant biological fields.

Skills

Python

R

Shell scripting

Leadership

Mentoring

Project management

Education

PhD in Computational Biology / Bioinformatics / CS / Statistics

Job description

Placements24 in Bloemfontein seeks a Lead Computational Biologist to lead computational biology projects, analyze omics data, and mentor a team of researchers. You will design algorithms, collaborate with experimental biologists, and help drive grant-funded research in disease mechanisms and drug development.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD in a quantitative field, 7+ years post-doctoral experience, strong leadership, and fluency with Python, R, and shell scripting.