Senior Bioinformatics Scientist - Genomics

Placements24; Sandton; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Bioinformatics Scientist for a fully remote role, with a strong emphasis on genomics and pipeline development. You will lead the design and optimization of analyses for NGS data, collaborate with a world‑class team, and contribute to scientific publications from a home office.

The role requires a PhD with extensive experience in bioinformatics and a deep understanding of genomics, statistics, and HPC/cloud environments.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a related quantitative field.
• 5+ years post‑doctoral experience in bioinformatics focused on genomics.
• Experience analyzing NGS data with common tools and algorithms.
• Proficient in Python, R, and shell scripting; familiarity with bioinformatics libraries.
• Strong understanding of molecular biology and statistical genetics.
• Experience with HPC and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP).
• Excellent analytical and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and remotely in a team.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize NGS pipelines for genome, exome, and RNA-seq data.
• Perform statistical analyses to identify variants and expression patterns.
• Integrate multi-omics data to gain biological insights.
• Collaborate with scientists to interpret findings and publish results.
• Maintain in-house tools and stay current with genomics developments.

Skills

Python

R

Shell scripting

Statistical analysis

Genomics

Education

PhD in Bioinformatics/Computational Biology/Genetics/CS

Tools

GATK

BLAST

Snakemake

Nextflow

Job description

About the Role

Our client is a leading bioinformatics company operating entirely remotely, seeking a highly skilled Senior Bioinformatics Scientist with deep expertise in Genomics. This role is critical for advancing our understanding of complex genomic datasets and driving innovation in areas such as personalized medicine and disease research. You will be responsible for designing and implementing cutting‑edge analytical pipelines, interpreting large‑scale genomic data, and collaborating with a world‑class team of scientists and engineers. This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research from the comfort of your home office, utilizing advanced computational tools and methodologies. We are looking for a motivated individual with a strong background in genomics, bioinformatics, and statistical analysis, who thrives in a remote‑first collaborative environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and implement bioinformatics pipelines for the analysis of next‑generation sequencing (NGS) data, including whole‑genome, exome, and RNA‑seq.
• Perform complex statistical analysis of genomic data to identify genetic variants, gene expression patterns, and functional associations.
• Integrate multi‑omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics) to gain deeper biological insights.
• Collaborate with geneticists, clinicians, and other researchers to interpret findings and contribute to scientific publications.
• Design and execute computational experiments to test hypotheses and explore new research questions.
• Maintain and develop in‑house bioinformatics tools and databases.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in genomics, bioinformatics, and computational biology.
• Present research findings and methodologies to internal teams and at scientific conferences.
• Contribute to the development of new research proposals and grant applications.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Genetics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years of post‑doctoral experience in bioinformatics, with a strong specialization in genomics.
• Extensive experience analyzing NGS data and using common bioinformatics tools and algorithms.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, R, and shell scripting, along with experience in bioinformatics libraries and frameworks.
• Solid understanding of molecular biology, genetics, and statistical genetics.
• Experience with high‑performance computing environments and cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP).
• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to communicate complex results effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote team setting.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive salary package, commensurate with experience, and performance‑based bonuses. As a fully remote organization, we provide excellent health, dental, and vision insurance plans. Employees benefit from significant professional development opportunities, including access to online courses, conference attendance (virtual and in‑person), and funding for skill enhancement. We foster a flexible work environment with generous paid time off and opportunities for career advancement within a growing company. Work with a dedicated and distributed team of experts in the forefront of genomic research.