Bioinformatics Scientist/Biostatistician Contractor
Job description
About the Role
This position centers on the statistical design and production deployment of genomic algorithms for clinical diagnostics. The role demands a fusion of rigorous bioinformatics with biostatistics to extract meaningful signals from limited genetic material. You will own the analysis journey, driving insights from raw data through to clinically actionable reports while working closely with internal and external collaborators. The successful contractor will architect robust computational solutions that translate complex genomic datasets into reliable diagnostic outcomes. You will be responsible for ensuring the scientific integrity and reproducibility of every analysis stage. Close collaboration with wet-lab scientists and clinicians will guide the interpretation of complex genetic signals. Ultimately, your work will directly contribute to the development of high-stakes clinical diagnostic products.
Key Facts
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Location: USA
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Engagement: Full-time contractor.
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Compensation: $75.00 to $140.00 an hour based on experience.
What You'll Do
You will be responsible for designing statistical models capable of identifying biological signals from low-input material for diagnostic purposes. This involves architecting production-ready pipelines that incorporate quality control flags, robust visualization, and comprehensive process monitoring for genomic data. Your analytical expertise will transform noisy genetic data into structured evidence suitable for clinical decision-making. You will plan and execute clinical validation studies, producing detailed reports and protocol documentation to support regulatory considerations. Ensuring all analysis workflows meet Clinical Laboratory standards in partnership with the Clinical Lab Director is a core duty of this position. You will evaluate and interpret complex genomic datasets to identify variants and patterns relevant to patient health. Maintaining active communication with external collaborators is essential to align project methods, timelines, and deliverables for successful outcomes. You will also contribute to intellectual property development and peer-reviewed publications that describe novel analytical approaches in the field. A significant part of the role involves guiding the evaluation of open-source tools and implementing new methods into scalable analysis stacks for efficiency. You will host and manage computational workflows within AWS or GCP environments to ensure genomic reproducibility and high availability. Writing robust shell scripts and leveraging Linux environments for automation and troubleshooting pipelines are expected daily tasks. You will utilize version control strategies to maintain the integrity of analytical code and collaborate effectively with engineering practices. The role requires a deep commitment to data quality and meticulous attention to detail in every analytical step. You will translate scientific requirements into technical specifications that drive the implementation of reliable diagnostic pipelines.
Requirements
You must hold a Master's degree, with preference for a PhD, in statistics, genetics, bioinformatics, or related quantitative fields. A minimum of 3+ years of experience analyzing NGS data using rigorous statistical methods is required for this contractor role. Fluency in coding using R or Python for both analytical and production environments is mandatory for success in this position. You must have a proven record of planning and performing genomics statistics on high-throughput datasets with real-world applications. Hands-on experience with exome or genome data, or long-read platforms such as Nanopore or PacBio, is necessary to perform the required analyses. Regular use of core bioinformatics toolsets such as bcftools, samtools, bedtools, and plink is required in your daily work. You must be able to quickly assess open-source methodology and integrate new tools into existing workflows efficiently. Familiarity with UCSC, NCBI resources like dbSNP and Clinvar, and Ensembl annotations is expected as standard practice. You will manage computational tasks on cloud infrastructure with a focus on reliability, scalability, and cost-awareness for the project. Comfort operating in a Linux terminal and writing shell scripts for automation is essential for your daily responsibilities. Effective communication with diverse audiences, including both technical and non-technical stakeholders, is required for clear project execution. Thriving in a hybrid remote setup, balancing independent work with active team collaboration, is necessary for this role. You must be highly organized to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment. A meticulous approach to documenting methods and results ensures transparency and reproducibility. You should possess strong problem-solving skills to troubleshoot complex issues in data processing and analysis. The ability to learn new biological concepts and computational techniques quickly is a critical part of the role. You will work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining alignment with team objectives and standards.
Nice to have
No additional preferences or nice-to-have skills are specified beyond the core requirements.
Practical notes
- Full-time contractor engagement.
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Location: Menlo Park, California, United States.
- Please ensure you are eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship.
- Hourly rate is dependent on experience within the specified range.
- This role requires a high level of autonomy and self-motivation.