Senior Bioinformatician - Genomics Research

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Retirement fund contributions

Generous leave allowances

Conference opportunities

Access to cutting-edge tools

Career advancement

Job summary

Placements24 in Cape Town seeks a Senior Bioinformatician to analyze large-scale genomic and transcriptomic data, develop robust analytical pipelines, and collaborate with scientists across disciplines. The role emphasizes advancing disease mechanisms, drug discovery, and personalized medicine in a cutting-edge environment.

The successful candidate will have 5+ years in bioinformatics, strong genomics experience, and proficiency with Python/Perl and R, plus HPC and cloud computing familiarity.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or Master’s degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genomics or related field.
• Minimum 5 years in bioinformatics with genomics focus.
• Proficiency in Python or Perl, and R for analysis.
• Experience with HPC environments and cloud platforms.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement sophisticated bioinformatics pipelines for NGS data (WGS, WES, RNA-Seq).
• Analyze large genomic datasets to identify variants and expression patterns.
• Collaborate with biologists and clinicians to interpret results and plan experiments.
• Mentor junior staff and contribute to grant writing and manuscripts.

Skills

Python

R

Perl

HPC

Bioinformatics pipelines

Education

PhD in Bioinformatics

MSc in Genomics

Tools

NGS data analysis pipelines

HPC clusters

AWS / cloud

Job description

About the Role

Our client is a pioneering life sciences research organization focused on unraveling complex biological systems through advanced computational approaches. We are looking for a highly skilled Senior Bioinformatician to join our innovative team in Cape Town . This role is crucial for analyzing large-scale genomic and transcriptomic datasets to drive discoveries in areas such as disease mechanisms, drug discovery, and personalized medicine. The successful candidate will work with state-of-the-art sequencing technologies and develop robust analytical pipelines. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to high-impact research in a collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment, situated in the vibrant city of Cape Town, Western Cape .

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement sophisticated bioinformatics pipelines for the analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data, including WGS, WES, and RNA-Seq.
• Analyze large and complex genomic datasets to identify significant genetic variations, gene expression patterns, and functional insights.
• Collaborate with molecular biologists, geneticists, and clinicians to interpret results and design new experiments.
• Contribute to the development of new algorithms and computational tools for biological data analysis.
• Maintain and manage bioinformatics databases, ensuring data integrity and accessibility.
• Visualize and present complex data in a clear and understandable manner to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in bioinformatics, genomics, and relevant computational biology techniques.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to data processing and analysis pipelines.
• Mentor junior bioinformaticians and research staff.
• Contribute to grant writing and manuscript preparation.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genomics, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in bioinformatics, with a strong focus on genomics.
• Proven expertise in analyzing NGS data, including alignment, variant calling, and differential gene expression analysis.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Python or Perl, and R for data analysis.
• Experience with high-performance computing (HPC) environments and cluster computing.
• Familiarity with various bioinformatics databases and ontologies.
• Strong understanding of molecular biology and genetics.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) is a plus.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive medical aid and retirement fund contributions.
• Generous annual leave and sick leave provisions.
• Opportunities for attending international conferences and workshops.
• Access to cutting-edge bioinformatics tools and computing infrastructure.
• A dynamic research environment with opportunities for career advancement.
• Supportive team culture focused on scientific collaboration.
• Childcare support and family-friendly policies.
• Conveniently located in Cape Town.