Remote Computational Biologist

Placements24; Rustenburg; Hybrid; ZAR 700,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote

Competitive salary

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Annual leave

Job summary

Placements24 in South Africa is seeking a highly skilled Remote Computational Biologist to join a cutting-edge bioinformatics firm. This fully remote role enables you to contribute from anywhere in SA, focusing on genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics.

The successful candidate will develop and apply advanced computational methods, build predictive models, and collaborate with bench scientists to translate biological hypotheses into actionable insights, while upholding rigorous code quality

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in a quantitative field with strong computational background.
• Proven experience analyzing large biological datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics).
• Proficiency in Python or R and bioinformatics libraries.
• Solid understanding of statistics and machine learning as applied to biology.

Responsibilities

• Develop computational algorithms and pipelines for complex biological data.
• Design and implement statistical analyses and ML models for omics datasets.
• Collaborate with bench scientists to translate hypotheses into computational approaches.
• Build predictive models for disease progression and biomarker discovery.
• Create clear visualizations to communicate complex data.

Skills

Python

R

Statistics

ML

SQL

Education

PhD in Computational Biology

Master's degree in related field

Tools

Bioconductor

AWS

GCP

Docker

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge bioinformatics firm, is seeking a highly skilled Remote Computational Biologist to join their innovative team. This is a fully remote position, allowing you to contribute from anywhere within South Africa. You will be instrumental in developing and applying advanced computational methods to analyze large-scale biological datasets, including genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. This role demands a sophisticated understanding of algorithms, statistical modeling, and machine learning as applied to biological problems. The successful candidate will work on challenging projects that drive discoveries in areas such as personalized medicine, drug discovery, and evolutionary biology. As a remote-first organization, we prioritize clear communication, asynchronous collaboration, and providing our team members with the tools and support they need to thrive. If you are passionate about leveraging data to unravel biological complexities and seeking a flexible, impactful career, this opportunity in Rustenburg (though remote) is ideal.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and refine computational algorithms and pipelines for analyzing complex biological data.
• Design and execute statistical analyses and machine learning models to extract meaningful insights from genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic datasets.
• Collaborate closely with bench scientists and clinicians to define research questions and translate biological hypotheses into computational approaches.
• Build predictive models for disease progression, treatment response, and biomarker discovery.
• Create clear and concise visualizations of complex biological data to facilitate understanding and communication.
• Contribute to the development of new research methodologies and software tools.
• Stay updated with the latest advancements in computational biology, bioinformatics, and relevant scientific fields.
• Participate in scientific discussions, present findings in internal meetings, and contribute to manuscript preparation.
• Maintain high standards of code quality, documentation, and reproducibility.
• Engage in the wider scientific community through presentations and potential publications.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience in analyzing large biological datasets (e.g., next-generation sequencing data, gene expression data).
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant bioinformatics libraries.
• Strong understanding of statistical methods, machine learning algorithms, and their biological applications.
• Experience with database management and querying (e.g., SQL).
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud) is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and a keen eye for detail.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and independently in a remote setting.
• Passion for computational approaches to biological discovery.

Benefits

• This is a fully remote position offering significant flexibility.
• Our client provides a highly competitive salary, commensurate with experience and expertise, along with a comprehensive benefits package including excellent health insurance, retirement planning options, and generous annual leave.
• We invest in our remote team's growth through continuous learning opportunities, virtual workshops, and support for attending online conferences.
• You will be part of a forward-thinking, globally distributed team, contributing to impactful research from the comfort of your own home.
• We offer a dynamic and challenging work environment where your contributions are valued and recognized, fostering a strong sense of community and shared purpose despite the physical distance.