Remote Principal Bioinformatician

Placements24; Pietermaritzburg; Hybrid; ZAR 2,635,000 - 3,952,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Professional development budget

Remote work flexibility

Work-life balance

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Principal Bioinformatician to lead sophisticated pipelines for WGS, RNA-Seq, and other large genomic datasets in a fully remote setting. You will guide cross-disciplinary teams of researchers, develop novel analytical methods, and drive high-impact scientific outputs from home-based work.

You will mentor junior staff, collaborate with clinicians and geneticists, and contribute to publications and grant applications while ensuring data quality and privacy compliance.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genetics, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience with large-scale genomic data.
• Experience with Ensembl/UCSC, GATK, SAMtools, and BCFtools.
• Proficiency in Python, R, Perl, and shell scripting.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and implementation of advanced bioinformatics pipelines for WGS, WES, RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq.
• Develop and apply statistical methods for variant detection, annotation, and interpretation.
• Analyze genomic and transcriptomic data to identify biomarkers and targets.
• Collaborate with geneticists, biologists, and clinicians to guide research directions.
• Maintain data management and curation strategies for genomic repositories.
• Mentor and guide junior bioinformaticians and staff.
• Publish and contribute to grants and high-impact journals.
• Stay updated on bioinformatics tools, algorithms, and sequencing tech.
• Ensure data quality, reproducibility, and privacy standards.
• Present findings at conferences and internal meetings.

Skills

Python

R

Perl

Shell scripting

Leadership

mentoring

Education

Ph.D. in Bioinformatics

Tools

Ensembl

UCSC Genome Browser

GATK

SAMtools

BCFtools

Docker

Singularity

AWS

Google Cloud

Azure

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a trailblazer in genomic research and personalized medicine, is seeking a highly accomplished Principal Bioinformatician to join their completely remote team. This senior role is central to driving the interpretation of massive genomic datasets and developing cutting-edge analytical pipelines. You will lead complex bioinformatics projects, collaborate with world-class researchers, and contribute to groundbreaking discoveries. This position is entirely remote, offering the flexibility to work from anywhere and engage with a globally diverse and talented team. Our client is dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge through innovation, collaboration, and the responsible application of cutting-edge bioinformatics. If you possess deep expertise in handling and analyzing large-scale genomic data and excel in a remote work environment, this is your opportunity to lead significant scientific endeavors.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of sophisticated bioinformatics pipelines for next-generation sequencing data (WGS, WES, RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq).
• Develop and apply advanced statistical and computational methods for variant detection, annotation, and interpretation.
• Analyze large-scale genomic and transcriptomic datasets to identify disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets.
• Collaborate closely with geneticists, molecular biologists, and clinicians to interpret results and guide research directions.
• Develop and maintain robust data management and curation strategies for genomic repositories.
• Mentor and guide junior bioinformaticians and research staff.
• Author and contribute to high-impact scientific publications and grant applications.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in bioinformatics tools, algorithms, and sequencing technologies.
• Ensure data quality, reproducibility, and adherence to ethical and privacy standards.
• Present findings at international conferences and to internal stakeholders.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Genetics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in bioinformatics, with a focus on analyzing large-scale genomic data.
• Extensive experience with common bioinformatics tools and databases (e.g., Ensembl, UCSC Genome Browser, GATK, SAMtools, BCFtools).
• Proficiency in scripting and programming languages such as Python, R, Perl, and shell scripting.
• Deep understanding of statistical genetics, population genetics, and molecular biology principles.
• Proven experience in leading bioinformatics projects and mentoring teams.
• Demonstrated ability to develop novel analytical methods and software tools.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, capable of working effectively in a remote, interdisciplinary team.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud, Azure) and containerization (e.g., Docker, Singularity) is a significant advantage.
• A strong publication record in leading peer-reviewed journals is expected.

Benefits

• This role offers a highly competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package tailored for remote professionals, including excellent health insurance, retirement planning options, and generous paid time off.
• Our client provides a dedicated budget for professional development, encouraging participation in workshops, conferences, and online courses.
• Enjoy the ultimate flexibility of working from any location, supported by a company culture that prioritizes work-life balance and global collaboration.
• Advance your career at the forefront of genomic discovery from the comfort of your home.