Principal Bioinformatician

Placements24; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Professional development

State-of-the-art resources

Dynamic research environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Bioinformatician to join our client’s R&D team in Tembisa, Gauteng. You will design scalable bioinformatics pipelines and apply ML methods to genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data to reveal biological insights and guide target discovery.

A PhD with 10+ years in bioinformatics, expert Python/R skills, and experience with HPC and cloud platforms is required. You will mentor a small team and collaborate with biologists and chemists to translate data into

Qualifications

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, CS, Statistics, or related field.
• 10+ years in bioinformatics/computational biology with independent research.
• Strong Python or R programming and bioinformatics libraries.
• Experience with genomic data analysis and NGS workflows.
• Experience with HPC environments and cloud platforms.
• Excellent problem-solving and interdisciplinary collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable bioinformatics pipelines for diverse datasets.
• Apply advanced statistical and ML methods to identify patterns and biomarkers.
• Collaborate with biologists and chemists to interpret results and guide research strategies.
• Develop custom software tools and scripts for research needs and data visualization.
• Stay updated on advancements in bioinformatics and genomics.
• Manage and mentor a team of bioinformaticians and data analysts.

Skills

Python

R

HPC

Cloud platforms

Mentoring

Communication

Education

PhD in Bioinformatics or related

Tools

Bioconductor

AWS

GCP

High-performance computing

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly experienced Principal Bioinformatician to join their cutting-edge research and development team in Tembisa . This senior position will involve developing and implementing advanced computational strategies to analyze large-scale biological datasets, including genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data. You will play a critical role in identifying key biological insights, driving hypothesis generation, and contributing to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of computational biology, strong programming skills, and the ability to translate complex data into actionable biological findings, all within a collaborative and research-intensive setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable bioinformatics pipelines for the analysis of diverse biological datasets.
• Apply advanced statistical and machine learning methods to identify patterns, correlations, and biomarkers.
• Collaborate closely with experimental biologists and chemists to interpret results and guide research strategies.
• Develop custom software tools and scripts to support specific research needs and data visualization.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in bioinformatics, genomics, and computational biology.
• Manage and mentor a team of bioinformaticians and data analysts.

Requirements

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in bioinformatics or computational biology, with a significant track record of independent research.
• Expertise in programming languages such as Python or R, and proficiency with relevant bioinformatics libraries.
• Strong understanding of genomic data analysis (e.g., next-generation sequencing technologies, variant calling).
• Experience with high-performance computing environments and cloud platforms.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and strong communication skills for interdisciplinary collaboration in Tembisa .

Benefits

• An attractive salary package with comprehensive benefits.
• Opportunities to lead significant research projects and make a substantial impact.
• Continuous learning and professional development support.
• State-of-the-art computational resources and infrastructure.
• A dynamic and intellectually stimulating work environment dedicated to scientific advancement.