Remote Lead Computational Biologist

Placements24; Gauteng; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private health insurance

Generous retirement plan

Significant paid time off

Flexible work schedule

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Computational Biologist to drive advanced research initiatives in a fully remote, full-time role. You will guide a distributed team of bioinformaticians and data scientists, shaping strategies in genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics while collaborating with clinicians and biologists.

The position emphasizes leadership, PhD-level expertise, and strong programming skills in Python or R, with extensive omics data experience and cloud/HPC proficiency.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, CS, Statistics or related quantitative field.
• Minimum 7 years in computational biology or bioinformatics, with at least 2 years in leadership.
• Proficiency in Python or R and bioinformatics libraries.
• Extensive analysis of genomic/omics data including alignment, variant calling, DE analysis.
• Strong background in statistics and ML for biological data.
• Experience with HPC or cloud environments.
• Excellent remote communication and collaboration skills.
• Proven ability to lead projects and mentor junior teammates.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and execution of large-scale computational biology projects.
• Develop and maintain robust bioinformatics pipelines for omics data.
• Apply machine learning and statistical modeling to biological data.
• Collaborate with experimental biologists and clinicians to interpret results.
• Mentor and manage a team of computational biologists and data scientists.
• Stay updated on advances in computational biology and bioinformatics.
• Communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ensure data integrity and reproducibility, following best practices.
• Contribute to grant writing and new research proposals.

Skills

Leadership

Python

R

Bioinformatics

HPC

Education

PhD in Computational Biology or related field

Tools

Git

Cloud platforms (AWS/GCP)

Bioinformatics libraries

Job description

About the Role

Our client is looking for an exceptional Lead Computational Biologist to spearhead groundbreaking research initiatives from the comfort of their home. This is a fully remote, Full-time position based within their innovative Scientific Research & Development division. You will be instrumental in developing and applying advanced computational methods to complex biological datasets, driving discoveries in areas like genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics. This role requires a unique blend of scientific acumen, programming expertise, and leadership capabilities to guide a talented team of bioinformaticians and data scientists. The ideal candidate will thrive in a remote-first environment, demonstrating excellent communication and collaboration skills to ensure seamless project execution across distributed teams. This position offers unparalleled flexibility and the opportunity to shape the future of biological data analysis.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of large-scale computational biology projects.
• Develop and maintain robust bioinformatics pipelines for processing and analyzing diverse omics data.
• Apply advanced machine learning and statistical modeling techniques to biological data.
• Collaborate closely with experimental biologists and clinicians to interpret results and generate hypotheses.
• Mentor and manage a team of computational biologists, fostering a culture of innovation and scientific rigor.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in computational biology, bioinformatics, and relevant biological fields.
• Communicate complex findings clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences through presentations and written reports.
• Ensure data integrity, reproducibility, and adherence to best practices in computational science.
• Contribute to grant writing and the development of new research proposals.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in computational biology or bioinformatics, with at least 2 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
• Proven expertise in programming languages such as Python or R, and proficiency with relevant bioinformatics libraries.
• Extensive experience with genomic and other omics data analysis, including sequence alignment, variant calling, and differential expression analysis.
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and their application to biological data.
• Experience with high-performance computing environments (e.g., HPC clusters, cloud computing platforms).
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills, crucial for a remote role.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and mentor junior team members effectively.
• Familiarity with version control systems (e.g., Git) and collaborative software development practices.

Benefits

• This fully remote position comes with a highly competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including private health insurance, a generous retirement savings plan, and significant paid time off.
• We offer a flexible work schedule to promote work-life balance.
• Professional development is highly valued, with support for attending conferences, workshops, and pursuing further training.
• You'll have the opportunity to work on impactful projects with a world-class team, contributing to significant scientific advancements from anywhere.
• Our client is committed to diversity and inclusion, creating an environment where all employees can thrive.