Senior Bioinformatics Research Scientist
About The Position
The Senior Bioinformatics Research Scientist provides bioinformatics support for investigators through data analysis and visualization, statistical analysis, experimental design, database development, mathematical modeling, and novel method development. The position communicates analytical processes and results to principal investigators, laboratory personnel, collaborating laboratories, and institutional core facilities. The role is based in the McKinnon Lab, part of the Center for Pediatric Neurological Disease Research and St. Jude’s Pediatric Translational Neuroscience Initiative. The scientist leads sequencing and multi-omics analysis pipelines to support research into catastrophic childhood neurological diseases, including rare disease gene discovery and analysis. Work spans patient cells, organoids, and animal models; patient disease mutations and cross-disorder comparisons; short- and long-read sequencing technologies; and integration and management of DNA, RNA, methylation, and other multi-omics data. The successful candidate independently designs and implements analytical strategies across genomics platforms, interprets complex datasets, and translates findings for diverse audiences. The position requires project ownership, prioritization of competing research demands, independent scientific judgment, and minimal direction when diagnosing sequencing or data-quality problems, identifying causes of unexpected results, and developing corrective analytical strategies. The scientist also helps expand analytical capabilities, train and mentor colleagues, establish best practices, and ensure computational infrastructure supports evolving research priorities.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, statistics, computer science with a background in biological sciences or chemistry, or a related field.
- At least 7 years of relevant post-degree work experience with a bachelor’s degree; alternatively, at least 5 years with a master’s degree or at least 2 years with a PhD.
- Significant experience in at least one programming or scripting language and at least one statistical package.
- Ability to independently design and implement analytical strategies, interpret complex datasets, and exercise scientific judgment with minimal direction.
- Strong communication skills for explaining analytical processes and results to audiences with varied computational backgrounds.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree or PhD.
- Experience with R, the preferred statistical package.
- Deep expertise in bioinformatics and human genetics.
- Experience with bulk and single-cell transcriptomics, rare disease gene discovery, and patient disease mutation analysis.
- Experience with short- and long-read sequencing technologies and integration of multi-omics data.
- Familiarity with building or managing GUI applications and databases for multi-omic sequencing results and clinical datasets.
- Commitment to neurological disease research and familiarity with emerging tools and technologies.
Responsibilities
- Provide research support by formulating efficient analytical approaches using available data.
- Deliver data files and document analytical processes; may participate in manuscript preparation at project conclusion.
- Establish and document protocols and best practices for common research tasks, and help formulate analytical plans for challenging data-analysis questions.
- Evaluate and test new methods and technologies.
- Recommend ways to automate or improve existing analysis methods and implement improvements or work with others to do so.
- Participate in departmental developmental projects and interdepartmental team projects.
- Perform other duties as assigned to meet departmental and institutional goals and objectives.
- Maintain regular and predictable attendance.
- Lead sequencing and multi-omics analysis pipelines, independently designing and implementing analytical strategies across genomics platforms.
- Analyze bulk and single-cell transcriptomics, patient disease mutations, and cross-disorder comparisons using data from patient cells, organoids, and animal models.
- Integrate and manage multi-omics data from multiple sequencing platforms, including short- and long-read technologies.
- Diagnose sequencing and data-quality issues, identify causes of unexpected results, and develop and implement corrective analytical strategies with minimal direction.
- Communicate analytical processes and findings to investigators, laboratory personnel, collaborating research groups, and institutional core facilities.
- Train and mentor PTNI and laboratory members, and prepare documentation and educational materials.
- Serve as a liaison among researchers, institutional computational resources, and collaborating research groups.
- Establish best practices and strengthen lab-wide bioinformatics capabilities.
- Ensure computational infrastructure supports evolving research priorities.
- Develop or manage GUI applications and databases for multi-omic sequencing results and clinical datasets from diverse sources.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
