Principal Software Developer/Computational Biologist

Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges.

We are recruiting a Principal Software Developer/Computational Biologist to join the Coelho group for an 18 month fixed term contract.

About the Team:

You will be part of an ambitious research project funded by Innovate UK and the Wellcome Sanger Institute that aims to use gene editing screens to predict cancer drug resistance mechanisms before they emerge in the clinic.

You will be involved in an exciting project – BASE Rx – Base editing Assessment of Somatic Evolution on Therapy (Rx). The aim of BASE Rx is to improve the way we treat drug resistant cancers through accelerated discovery of cancer drug resistance mechanisms using high-throughput gene editing. Our team generate large-scale datasets from screens using cutting-edge gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9, base editing and prime editing in cancer cells and tumour organoids. We also couple gene editing to single-cell transcriptomics to understand the underlying mechanisms driving cancer and drug resistance at scale. We work closely with the Garnett group and other teams within the Cancer Ageing and Somatic Mutation Programme at the Wellcome Sanger Institute. This role is based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and will be a secondment to BASE Rx Ltd. 

Our research focuses on:

CRISPR/Cas9 biotechnologies and their use to study cancer variant function and drug resistance:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39424923/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36669486/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38225637/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37214176/

About the Role:

Drug resistance is a major limitation to the long-term efficacy of drugs used to treat patients with cancer. The aim of this project is to integrate data from large-scale base editing and prime editing mutagenesis screens with structural information and cancer genomics data to 1) build predictive models of drug resistance and 2) inform the design of next-generation cancer drugs against drug-resistant proteins. This data will include RNA sequencing data and single-cell RNA sequencing (i.e. perturb-seq).

What you will be doing?

• You will be responsible for leading and developing the computational framework for predicting drug in resistance variants in cancer

• Analysing CRISPR- based mutagenesis screening data and integrate them with structural information to understand mechanisms of resistance and highlight novel sites for drug discovery.

• Mentoring and supporting the team in software development and bioinformatics

• Leading the implementation of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) methods to predict drug resistance

• Establish effective collaborations and software infrastructure within and beyond the Sanger Institute, including interactions with experimental teams and external partners.

About you:

If you have previous software development experience and experience working in single-cell RNA-seq, AI/ML, or functional genomics with an interest in structural and cancer biology, this could be the opportunity for you.

Essential Skills:

• PhD in a biological science or computer science or equivalent experience.

• Extensive experience in a bioinformatics data analysis and software development.

• Proficiency in Python/R.

• In-depth knowledge of structural biology.

• Demonstrated experience of leading complex bioinformatics projects and delivering strategic insights from data.

• Domain Knowledge in Artificial Intelligence (AI) /Machine Learning (ML)

• Proven ability to lead, mentor and collaborate with diverse, cross-functional scientific teams.

• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage competing priorities.

• Excellent attention to detail.

• Excellent communication and influencing skills, capable of translating technical concepts for both scientific and operational audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to adapt to regularly changing priorities and workloads.

Other Information:

Salary per annum (dependent upon skills and experience): £60,305-£71,644

Application process:

Please apply with your CV and a cover letter describing why you are applying for the role and outlining how you meet the criteria set out above.

Internal candidates interested in applying for this role as a secondment or fixed term opportunity should apply through the internal Jobs Hub. Please discuss with your current line manager prior to submitting your application.

Closing Date: 10th August 2025

Hybrid Working at Wellcome Sanger:

We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work-life balance, with more focused time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have a supportive culture with the following staff networks, LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others.

We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work. That’s why we’re committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

Our Benefits:

We are proud to deliver an awarding campus-wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work-related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute.

Sanger Institute became a signatory of the International Technician Commitment initiative In March 2018.  The Technician Commitment aims to empower and ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.