Senior Bioinformatician - Drug Discovery

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Remote work options

Professional development budget

Pharma/biotech impact projects

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Bioinformatician to join a dynamic drug discovery team, working remotely from Pretoria. You will apply advanced computational methods to analyze large-scale biological data, driving target identification and validation for preclinical research.

The role requires a PhD or Master’s in a quantitative field, 5+ years of bioinformatics experience in pharma, and proficiency in Python or R, with ML and cloud experience as a plus.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, CS or related quantitative field.
• 5+ years of hands-on bioinformatics analysis experience, ideally in drug discovery or pharma research.
• Proficient in Python or R and related bioinformatics libraries/tools.
• Strong statistics, ML, and data visualization knowledge.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP) is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving and remote collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement bioinformatics pipelines for genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data.
• Apply statistical modeling and ML to identify patterns and drug targets from complex datasets.
• Collaborate with experimental teams to design studies and interpret results.
• Manage and curate large biological databases for research accessibility and integrity.
• Contribute to development of new computational tools and algorithms.
• Communicate findings through reports, presentations, and publications.

Skills

Python

R

Statistics

Machine Learning

Data Visualization

Education

PhD in Bioinformatics or related

Master's degree in related quantitative discipline

Tools

AWS/Azure/GCP

Bioconductor

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly skilled Senior Bioinformatician to join their dynamic drug discovery team, contributing remotely from Pretoria . This role is crucial in applying advanced computational and statistical methods to analyze large-scale biological datasets, driving the identification and validation of novel drug targets. You will work closely with biologists, chemists, and other data scientists to translate complex biological information into actionable insights, significantly impacting the direction of preclinical research. The position requires a proactive individual with strong analytical skills and a passion for leveraging data to accelerate the discovery of life-saving therapies in a collaborative, technologically advanced setting.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement robust bioinformatics pipelines for the analysis of diverse biological data, including genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics.
• Apply statistical modeling and machine learning techniques to identify patterns, biomarkers, and potential drug targets from complex datasets.
• Collaborate with experimental teams to design studies, interpret results, and provide data-driven recommendations for drug discovery programs.
• Manage and curate large biological databases, ensuring data integrity and accessibility for research purposes.
• Contribute to the development of novel computational tools and algorithms to address specific research challenges.
• Communicate findings effectively through reports, presentations, and publications to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Requirements

• PhD or Master's degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, or a related quantitative discipline.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in bioinformatics analysis, particularly within a drug discovery or pharmaceutical research context.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant bioinformatics libraries and tools.
• Solid understanding of statistical methods, machine learning algorithms, and data visualization techniques.
• Experience working with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP) is a plus.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities and strong communication skills for effective remote teamwork.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with performance-based incentives.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Flexible remote work options, allowing for work from home.
• Generous budget for professional development, including conferences and workshops.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects at the forefront of pharmaceutical innovation in Pretoria .