Senior Computational Biologist - Drug Discovery

Placements24; Klerksdorp; Híbrido; ZAR 1 200 000 - 2 100 000; Tempo integral

Vantagens oferecidas por esta oferta de emprego

Fully remote role

Competitive salary

Performance bonuses

Stock options

Health insurance

Paid time off

Resumo da oferta

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Computational Biologist for a fully remote role, applying bioinformatics, cheminformatics, and machine learning to accelerate drug discovery and analyze large-scale data.

You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, mentor junior researchers, and stay current with advances in computational biology in a remote-first environment demanding strong communication and self-management.

Qualificações

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Cheminformatics, Computer Science, or related life sciences field.
• 5-7 years in computational drug discovery or related R&D environment.
• Strong programming skills in Python, R, and/or Java with scientific libraries (SciPy, NumPy, Pandas, RDKit).

Responsabilidades

• Develop and apply computational methods to analyze large-scale biological datasets (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, high-throughput screening).
• Utilize cheminformatics tools and ML to predict drug-target interactions, efficacy, and toxicity.
• Design and optimize virtual screening campaigns and lead optimization strategies.
• Collaborate with medicinal chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists to integrate computational insights into drug discovery.
• Develop and maintain scalable computational pipelines for data processing/analysis in cloud environments.
• Stay updated on advances in computational biology, ML, and drug discovery technologies.
• Communicate complex findings through presentations, reports, and publications to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute to strategic direction of computational drug discovery efforts.
• Mentor junior computational biologists and support their development.
• Proactively identify opportunities to apply novel computational approaches to accelerate drug discovery timelines.

Descrição da oferta de emprego

About the Role

Our client, a pioneering biotechnology company focused on accelerating drug discovery through advanced computational approaches, is seeking a highly skilled Senior Computational Biologist. This role is entirely remote, allowing you to contribute from anywhere, while being an integral part of our innovative team. You will leverage your expertise in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, and machine learning to analyze complex biological and chemical data, identify novel drug targets, and design potent therapeutic molecules. This position offers the unique opportunity to shape the future of medicine from the comfort of your home office, working with a globally distributed, cutting-edge research organization. The ideal candidate will possess a strong quantitative background, experience in drug discovery pipelines, and a passion for solving complex biological problems using computational tools. As a remote-first position, excellent communication and self-management skills are paramount.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational methods to analyze large-scale biological datasets, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and high-throughput screening data.
• Utilize cheminformatics tools and machine learning algorithms to predict drug-target interactions, efficacy, and toxicity.
• Design and optimize virtual screening campaigns and lead optimization strategies.
• Collaborate closely with medicinal chemists, biologists, and pharmacologists to integrate computational insights into the drug discovery process.
• Develop and maintain scalable computational pipelines for data processing and analysis in a cloud environment.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in computational biology, machine learning, and drug discovery technologies.
• Communicate complex findings effectively through presentations, reports, and publications to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of computational drug discovery efforts within the organization.
• Mentor junior computational biologists and support their professional development.
• Proactively identify opportunities to apply novel computational approaches to accelerate drug discovery timelines.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Cheminformatics, Computer Science, or a related field with a focus on life sciences.
• A minimum of 5-7 years of experience in computational drug discovery or a related R&D environment.
• Strong programming skills in Python, R, and/or Java, with experience in relevant scientific libraries (e.g., SciPy, NumPy, Pandas, RDKit).
• Proficiency with machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn) and their application to biological data.
• Experience with large-scale data management and analysis, including cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Demonstrated understanding of drug discovery processes, including target identification, hit finding, and lead optimization.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, essential for a remote team environment.
• Proven ability to work independently and manage multiple projects effectively.
• Must be legally authorized to work remotely in **South Africa**.

Benefits

This is a fully remote position offering significant flexibility and autonomy. Our client provides a highly competitive salary, performance bonuses, and stock options. We offer comprehensive health insurance, a retirement savings plan, and generous paid time off. Professional development is strongly encouraged, with access to online courses, webinars, and virtual conferences. Being a remote-first company, we foster a strong sense of community through virtual team-building activities and regular online interactions. This role offers the unique benefit of contributing to groundbreaking science from your chosen location, with ample opportunities for career advancement.