Remote Computational Biologist - Drug Discovery

Placements24; Soweto; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work flexibility

Health and wellness benefits

Professional development

Home office equipment allowance

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a computational biologist for a fully remote role in South Africa. You will analyze omics datasets, develop computational methods, and apply ML for target identification, pathway analysis, and drug response prediction.

You will collaborate with experimental teams virtually, maintain pipelines, and stay current with advances in bioinformatics and cloud computing.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Biology, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience in analyzing biological data using computational tools.
• Proficiency in Python or R, and experience with relevant bioinformatics and data analysis libraries.
• Strong understanding of molecular biology, genetics, and drug discovery processes.
• Experience with machine learning techniques applied to biological data.
• Familiarity with databases and data management principles.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities, comfortable working in a remote, distributed team.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (AWS, GCP) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Analyze large-scale biological datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, etc.) to identify potential drug targets.
• Develop and apply computational and statistical methods to biological research problems.
• Implement machine learning models for target identification, pathway analysis, and drug response prediction.
• Collaborate closely with experimental biologists, chemists, and pharmacologists to integrate computational findings into drug discovery programs.
• Design and execute bioinformatics analyses to interpret high-throughput screening data.
• Develop data visualization tools and reports to communicate complex biological insights effectively.
• Stay current with advancements in computational biology, bioinformatics, drug discovery, and relevant machine learning techniques.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of internal databases and computational pipelines.
• Participate actively in team meetings and contribute to strategic research planning.

Skills

Python

R

Bioinformatics

Machine learning

Statistics

Data analysis

Communication

Remote collaboration

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Computational Biology/Bioinformatics/CS/Biology or related quantitative field

Tools

Python

R

Bioconductor

AWS

GCP

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a forward-thinking pharmaceutical company dedicated to accelerating drug discovery through innovative computational approaches, is seeking a skilled Computational Biologist to join their fully remote research team. This position offers an exceptional opportunity to work from anywhere in South Africa, contributing to the identification and validation of novel therapeutic targets. You will leverage cutting-edge computational methods, bioinformatics tools, and machine learning algorithms to analyze complex biological datasets, including genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics. This role emphasizes a remote-first work culture, providing the flexibility and autonomy needed to excel. Our client is committed to fostering a highly collaborative virtual environment, equipped with advanced communication and project management systems to ensure seamless teamwork across distances. The ideal candidate will possess a robust background in biology, computer science, and statistical analysis, with a strong passion for applying computational strategies to solve challenging problems in drug discovery. Join us in making a significant impact on human health from your home office.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze large-scale biological datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, etc.) to identify potential drug targets.
• Develop and apply computational and statistical methods to biological research problems.
• Implement machine learning models for target identification, pathway analysis, and drug response prediction.
• Collaborate closely with experimental biologists, chemists, and pharmacologists to integrate computational findings into drug discovery programs.
• Design and execute bioinformatics analyses to interpret high-throughput screening data.
• Develop data visualization tools and reports to communicate complex biological insights effectively.
• Stay current with advancements in computational biology, bioinformatics, drug discovery, and relevant machine learning techniques.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of internal databases and computational pipelines.
• Participate actively in team meetings and contribute to strategic research planning.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Biology, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience in analyzing biological data using computational tools and programming languages.
• Proficiency in Python or R, and experience with relevant bioinformatics and data analysis libraries.
• Strong understanding of molecular biology, genetics, and drug discovery processes.
• Experience with machine learning techniques applied to biological data.
• Familiarity with databases and data management principles.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities, comfortable working in a remote, distributed team.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (AWS, GCP) is a plus.

Benefits

• Competitive salary package and potential performance-based bonuses.
• Fully remote working environment with flexible hours.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.
• Generous allowance for professional development and training.
• Access to advanced computational resources and bioinformatics software.
• A collaborative and intellectually stimulating remote work culture.
• Opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge drug discovery projects.
• Home office equipment allowance.