Research Scientist - Computational Biology

Placements24; Vereeniging; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Learning opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Research Scientist specializing in computational biology to join our R&D team in Vereeniging. You will apply advanced computational methods to analyze large biological datasets and support drug discovery efforts, collaborating with experimental biologists and chemists to derive actionable insights.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD in a relevant field, has 4+ years of post-PhD experience, and is proficient in Python or R with bioinformatics libraries.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in computational biology research, post-PhD.
• Strong programming in Python or R and experience with bioinformatics libraries.
• Proficiency in analyzing large-scale biological datasets (RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq, single-cell).
• Experience with statistics, machine learning, and data visualization techniques.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills for the Vereeniging site.

Responsibilities

• Develop computational pipelines for genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data.
• Design algorithms for data mining, pattern recognition, and network analysis.
• Collaborate with experimental teams to interpret high-throughput data and identify drug targets.
• Build predictive models to understand disease mechanisms and therapeutic responses.
• Contribute to maintenance and development of internal bioinformatics databases and tools.
• Stay abreast of new computational biology techniques and evaluate their potential use.

Skills

Python

R

Bioinformatics

Machine learning

Data visualization

Education

PhD in Computational Biology

Tools

Bioconductor

Genomics pipelines

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a talented Research Scientist specializing in computational biology to join their innovative R&D team in Vereeniging . This role involves applying advanced computational methods and bioinformatics tools to analyze large biological datasets, uncover biological insights, and support drug discovery efforts. You will work closely with experimental biologists and chemists to interpret complex data and drive project forward. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute to cutting‑edge research within a supportive team environment in the Gauteng province.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational pipelines for the analysis of genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data.
• Design and implement algorithms for biological data mining, pattern recognition, and network analysis.
• Collaborate with experimental teams to interpret high-throughput screening data and identify potential drug targets.
• Build predictive models to understand disease mechanisms and therapeutic responses.
• Contribute to the maintenance and development of internal bioinformatics databases and tools.
• Stay abreast of new computational biology techniques and tools, and evaluate their potential application.

Requirements

• PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in computational biology research, post-PhD.
• Strong programming skills in Python or R, and experience with bioinformatics libraries.
• Proficiency in analyzing large-scale biological datasets (e.g., RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq, single-cell data).
• Experience with statistical analysis, machine learning, and data visualization techniques.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills for our Vereeniging research site.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-related bonuses.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits.
• Retirement savings plan with employer contributions.
• Generous paid time off and opportunities for continuous learning.
• A collaborative research environment focused on scientific excellence.