Senior Computational Biologist - Systems Biology

Placements24; Paarl; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary package

Health insurance and retirement plan

Professional development opportunities

Conference participation

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Computational Biologist in Paarl, Western Cape to lead computational biology initiatives. You will work on multi-omics data integration, build models, and guide drug discovery through network and pathway analyses.

You will collaborate with biologists, chemists, and clinicians, develop custom tools, and contribute to publications. A PhD and 5+ years in the field are expected, with strong programming skills in Python or R.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Systems Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years post-doctoral or industry experience in computational biology.
• Demonstrated expertise in systems biology approaches, including network analysis and pathway modeling.
• Proficiency in Python or R and related bioinformatics and statistical packages.
• Experience with large-scale omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics).
• Familiarity with biological databases and pathway knowledge bases (e.g., KEGG, Gene Ontology, STRING).
• Strong understanding of molecular biology, cell biology, and disease mechanisms.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities.

Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational models to analyze complex biological systems.
• Integrate and analyze multi-omics data from various experimental sources.
• Perform pathway analysis, network construction, and systems-level interpretation of biological data.
• Identify key molecular players and mechanisms relevant to disease progression and drug response.
• Collaborate with experimental biologists, chemists, and clinicians to design studies and interpret results.
• Develop custom scripts and software tools to facilitate computational biology workflows.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in systems biology and computational biology.
• Contribute to preparation of scientific publications and grant proposals.
• Present research findings to internal teams and at scientific conferences.

Skills

Systems biology

Network analysis

Pathway modeling

Multi-omics analysis

Statistical modeling

Education

PhD in Computational Biology

Tools

Python

R

Bioinformatics packages

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a leader in pharmaceutical innovation, is seeking a highly skilled Senior Computational Biologist to join our dynamic research team in Paarl, Western Cape. This critical role involves leveraging advanced computational and systems biology approaches to unravel complex biological mechanisms underlying various diseases. You will work with large-scale multi-omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) to build predictive models, identify novel therapeutic targets, and guide drug discovery programs. The ideal candidate possesses a deep understanding of biological networks, pathway analysis, and statistical modeling, coupled with strong programming skills. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to impactful research in a collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment, pushing the boundaries of biological understanding. We are dedicated to advancing human health through cutting-edge scientific exploration and data-driven insights.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational models to analyze complex biological systems.
• Integrate and analyze multi-omics data from various experimental sources.
• Perform pathway analysis, network construction, and systems-level interpretation of biological data.
• Identify key molecular players and mechanisms relevant to disease progression and drug response.
• Collaborate closely with experimental biologists, chemists, and clinicians to design studies and interpret results.
• Develop custom scripts and software tools to facilitate computational biology workflows.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in systems biology, computational biology, and related fields.
• Contribute to the preparation of scientific publications and grant proposals.
• Present research findings to internal teams and at scientific conferences.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Computational Biology, Systems Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years of post-doctoral or industry experience in computational biology.
• Demonstrated expertise in systems biology approaches, including network analysis and pathway modeling.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and experience with relevant bioinformatics and statistical packages.
• Experience with analyzing large-scale omics datasets (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics).
• Familiarity with biological databases and pathway knowledge bases (e.g., KEGG, Gene Ontology, STRING).
• Strong understanding of molecular biology, cell biology, and disease mechanisms.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance and retirement contributions, and excellent opportunities for professional development and conference participation. The role in Paarl, Western Cape, is situated in a beautiful region offering a high quality of life. We provide access to advanced computational infrastructure and foster a vibrant, collaborative research culture. Join a team committed to making significant contributions to biomedical science.