Principal Scientist, Bioinformatics

Nkarta, Inc.•South San Francisco, CA

1d•$180,000 - $215,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Nkarta is seeking a highly motivated, collaborative, detail-oriented Principal Scientist to join our Translational Medicine team. This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role for a senior bioinformatics scientist. The successful candidate will have deep expertise in single-cell and spatial omics technologies, along with experience in functional genomics and leading computational biology and/or bioinformatics programs in a biotech or pharmaceutical setting. This individual will work collaboratively within Translational Medicine and cross-functionally to advance, support, and execute biomarker discovery, mechanism-of-action (MOA) investigations, and translational data analysis from clinical samples. A central focus of this role is to drive and execute on Nkarta’s strategy for single-cell and spatial transcriptomics, leveraging scRNA-seq, spatial, and functional genomics approaches to drive translational insights, biomarker development, and clinical decision-making in early development.

Requirements

Deep expertise in single-cell and spatial transcriptomics analysis, including scRNA-seq and related high-dimensional omics datasets
Strong experience analyzing functional genomics and transcriptomic data (e.g., bulk RNA-seq, WES) to derive biological and translational insights
Strong foundation in biological sciences, with experience or interest in immunology and disease biology
Deep understanding of modern statistical and computational methods for high-dimensional data analysis
Proficiency in Python and/or R, with experience using relevant bioinformatics frameworks
Experience developing and maintaining scalable data analysis pipelines and working with cloud-based infrastructure (e.g., AWS)
Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and translate complex data into clear, actionable insights
Demonstrated experience managing external CROs and bioinformatics vendors
Proven leadership experience, including mentoring and developing scientific teams
Strong cross-functional collaboration skills and ability to translate computational insights into biological and clinical impact
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment, with strong organizational skills and attention to detail

Responsibilities

Lead and actively participate in the design and execution of computational strategies and hands-on analysis of clinical and biological datasets to support go/no-go decisions
Hands-on development and application of computational methods for single-cell and spatial transcriptomics to generate actionable translational insights from clinical samples
Establish scalable pipelines for multi-modal data integration across programs
Integrate and analyze functional genomics datasets (e.g., bulk RNA-seq) to generate mechanistic insights that inform translational and clinical strategies
Provide high-impact analyses with direct influence on clinical decision-making and visibility to senior leadership
Collaborate with senior leadership to define priorities, allocate resouces, and establish timelines aligned with company objectives
Partner with experimental scientists to design studies leveraging advanced omics approaches and interpret results
Ensure reproducibility, scalability, and data quality across bioinformatics pipelines
Communicate complex findings effectively to scientific and non-scientific stakeholders, including senior leadership