Senior Data Scientist (Bioinformatics)

Placements24; Paarl; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Retirement Plan

Professional Development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Data Scientist specializing in Bioinformatics to join a remote-first genomics research team. The role focuses on analyzing genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data to drive discoveries and personalized medicine.

You will design advanced pipelines, identify key insights, and collaborate across disciplines in a flexible, remote environment. The ideal candidate has a PhD and 5–7 years of omics experience, proficiency in Python/R/Perl, and strong knowledge of

Qualifications

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or related quantitative field.
• 5–7 years of bioinformatics or computational biology research with omics focus.
• Strong programming skills in Python, R, and/or Perl.
• Experience with bioinformatics tools, databases, and omics data analyses.

Responsibilities

• Develop, optimize, and validate bioinformatics pipelines for genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data.
• Perform statistical analyses to test hypotheses and guide experiments.
• Build predictive models and ML algorithms for biological applications.
• Collaborate with biologists and clinicians to translate findings into research directions.
• Visualize results for diverse audiences and contribute to publications.

Skills

Python

R

Perl

Education

PhD in Bioinformatics or related field

Tools

BLAST

Ensembl

TCGA

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a cutting-edge genomics research institute, is looking for a Senior Data Scientist specializing in Bioinformatics to join their remote-first research team. This role is instrumental in analyzing complex biological datasets, including genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic data, to drive biological discovery and advance personalized medicine. You will be responsible for developing and implementing sophisticated analytical pipelines, identifying key biological insights, and collaborating with researchers across various disciplines. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to high-impact research in a flexible, remote work environment, leveraging advanced computational techniques to unlock the secrets of the genome.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and optimize bioinformatics pipelines for large-scale omics data analysis (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics).
• Analyze complex biological datasets to identify significant patterns, biomarkers, and correlations.
• Design and conduct statistical analyses to support research hypotheses and experimental designs.
• Develop predictive models and machine learning algorithms for biological applications.
• Collaborate closely with biologists, clinicians, and other researchers to interpret findings and guide experimental direction.
• Visualize complex biological data to effectively communicate insights to diverse audiences.
• Stay current with the latest advancements in bioinformatics, computational biology, and data science.
• Mentor junior data scientists and bioinformaticians, contributing to team growth and knowledge sharing.
• Contribute to the development of software tools and databases for bioinformatics research.
• Ensure data integrity, reproducibility, and compliance with data privacy regulations.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Statistics, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in bioinformatics or computational biology research, with a focus on analyzing omics data.
• Strong proficiency in programming languages commonly used in bioinformatics (e.g., Python, R, Perl).
• Extensive experience with bioinformatics tools and databases (e.g., BLAST, Ensembl, TCGA).
• Deep understanding of statistical methods and machine learning techniques applied to biological data.
• Experience with cloud computing platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
• Proven ability to manage complex data analysis projects and deliver actionable insights.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and presentation skills, essential for remote work.
• Demonstrated track record of publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Experience with next-generation sequencing (NGS) data analysis is essential.

Benefits

• As a remote-first position, this role offers exceptional flexibility and work-life integration.
• Our client provides a highly competitive salary and benefits package, including comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, as well as retirement contributions.
• We support continuous professional development through access to online courses, virtual conferences, and research collaborations.
• Employees benefit from working on impactful projects at the forefront of genomic research, with opportunities to contribute to groundbreaking discoveries.