Senior Bioinformatics Lead, Genomics & Pipelines

Placements24; Klerksdorp; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Training support

Advanced infrastructure

Collaborative environment

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Bioinformatics Analyst to join a renowned genomics research institute in Klerksdorp. You will lead a team in analyzing large-scale genomic and transcriptomic datasets, and develop robust pipelines for NGS data analysis to drive new discoveries.

The role requires a PhD or MSc in bioinformatics or a related field, at least six years of hands-on experience with NGS (WGS/WES/RNA-Seq), and strong programming skills (Python, R).

Qualifications

• PhD or Master's degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related field.
• Minimum of 6 years of hands‑on experience in bioinformatics analysis, with at least 2 years in a team lead or supervisory role.
• Strong expertise in analyzing NGS data (WGS, WES, RNA-Seq, ChIP-Seq).
• Proficiency in programming languages commonly used in bioinformatics (e.g., Python, R, Perl) and experience with bioinformatics libraries.
• Experience with Unix/Linux environments and high-performance computing clusters.
• Solid understanding of molecular biology, genetics, and genomics.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects and mentor junior team members.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.
• Experience working in a research setting in or near Klerksdorp is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced bioinformatics pipelines for next-generation sequencing (NGS) data analysis.
• Manage and mentor a team of bioinformatics analysts, providing technical guidance and project oversight.
• Analyze large-scale genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic datasets to identify biological insights and patterns.
• Collaborate with experimental biologists, clinicians, and researchers to define analytical strategies and interpret results.
• Develop and maintain robust data management systems and ensure data integrity and reproducibility.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in bioinformatics tools, algorithms, and technologies.
• Present findings to scientific committees, at conferences, and contribute to publications.
• Ensure efficient and effective use of computational resources.
• Troubleshoot and optimize existing bioinformatics workflows.

Skills

NGS data analysis

Python

R

Team leadership

Unix/Linux

HPC

Biology/genomics

Education

PhD or MSc in Bioinformatics

Tools

Bioinformatics libraries

High-performance computing

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Bioinformatics Analyst to join a renowned genomics research institute in Klerksdorp. You will lead a team in analyzing large-scale genomic and transcriptomic datasets, and develop robust pipelines for NGS data analysis to drive new discoveries.

The role requires a PhD or MSc in bioinformatics or a related field, at least six years of hands-on experience with NGS (WGS/WES/RNA-Seq), and strong programming skills (Python, R).