Data Analyst, Analytical Development (Bioinformatics)

About Forge  

Our mission at Forge Biologics, is to enable access to life changing gene therapies and help bring them from idea into reality. We partner with innovators in the gene therapy community: scientists, physicians, biotech/pharma companies, and patient groups. We bring expertise in gene therapy manufacturing and therapeutics development to the table, helping to champion teams that are navigating the long road from the lab bench to the bedside. Our goal is simple but vital to patients living with disease, and we take it seriously. With a patient-first approach, we are forging new models for working together to better accelerate these transformative medicines to reach those who need them the most.   

Forge is based in Columbus, Ohio, in a 200,000 square foot facility known affectionately by team members as, the Hearth. The Hearth, is a custom-designed cGMP facility dedicated to AAV manufacturing and hosts scalable, end-to-end manufacturing services.  

About The Team 

The Analytical Development Department is responsible for advancing analytical methods and processes to support the development and production of AAV gene therapy and plasmid products. This team specializes in designing and optimizing assays, ensuring the robustness and accuracy of analytical data, and contributes to the successful execution of critical projects in the field of gene therapy. With a commitment to excellence, the department enables clients to bring transformative treatments to patients with confidence and precision.

About The Role

The Data Analyst, Analytical Development (Bioinformatics) is an integral member of the Analytical Development team and will work with all aspects of the department to provide scientific expertise and support for statistical analyses of experimental data produced by various molecular biology methods (with a focus on next generation sequencing) to produce quantitative algorithms to support the development and characterization of gene therapy manufacturing materials and products. 

What You’ll Do

• Assist in the design and execution of sequencing-based experiments, collaborating with project teams to support therapeutic development objectives.
• Perform sequencing data analysis, working with various technologies and data sources, including DNA and RNA sequencing.
• Assist in the genomic analysis of plasmid and rAAV analytes to characterize the molecular state of the genome and identify potential contaminants.
• Applying principles of programming and computer architecture to adapt the software to run efficiently on multi-core servers in cluster environments.
• Support the maintenance of bioinformatics pipelines for profiling heterogeneous plasmid and rAAV genome populations.
• Help in developing, documenting, and maintaining algorithms and analysis methods for short-read and long-read sequencing data.
• Manage studies by planning, assisting with study design, developing statements of work and analysis plans, monitoring progress, evaluating data quality, analyzing data, validating results, and seeking ways to improve workflow
• Contribute to the development of protocols and statistical analysis plans, statistical modeling, reporting, and communication of results
• Perform statistical analysis and apply predictive analytics techniques to derive insights from in-house and publicly curated datasets.
• Assist in the implementation of deep learning algorithms for data analysis.
• Maintain organized records of analysis, including datasets and code.

What You’ll Bring 

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in Bioinformatics, Computer Science or a related field.
• Strong background in bioinformatics and biostatistics, including analysis of high-throughput sequencing data.
• Experience working with Windows and UNIX/Linux environments.
• Fluency in one or more programming languages such as Perl, Python, Java, R, C, Matlab; MySQL and/or other relational databases, cloud computing systems, and the development of statistical methods and algorithms.
• Experience with computational analysis pipelines and algorithms for sequencing data, specifically for the analysis of Illumina, Oxford Nanopore, and Pacific Biosciences platforms. 
• Familiarity with distributed version control systems, workflow management systems, and virtual environments.
• Experience with remote data storage and management, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS).
• Knowledge of genomic databases and bioinformatics software.
• Understand fundamentals of data structures, databases, and software engineering.
• Proficiency in bioinformatics tools for sequence similarity search, multiple sequence alignment, profile search, clustering and phylogenetic analysis is required. 

Work Environment and Physical Demands  

This position works in a typical office environment where the physical work demands will vary depending on the specific tasks and duties required of the job. This is largely a sedentary role; persons holding office positions are generally subject to inside environmental conditions having the lighting, temperature, and noise of an open floor-plan office environment. Regularly operate a computer and other office equipment. Regularly communicate with others in person, over the phone, and electronically. Must be able to move and/or carry objects weighing up to 10 lbs. 

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned. 

Forge Biologics is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. Forge Biologics, provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. 

Life at Forge  

We are a team of diverse, driven and passionate people working together to trailblaze a new model for how we make medicines to treat patients with genetic diseases. Our team members use their creativity and talent to invent new solutions, meet new demands, and offer the most effective services in the industry. Forge’s core values lay the foundation for H.O.P.E. It provides us a common purpose that we all understand, work towards and live by.  

HARDWORKING - We work hard and smart, making a persistent and determined effort toward success. Working hard, with focus and desire is the key. 

OPEN - We strive to be approachable, actively listen and encourage others to contribute and speak up. We positively offer and receive constructive feedback. 

PURPOSE DRIVEN - We are passionate about working towards and delivering on our mission to manufacture gene therapies. 

ENGAGED - We are fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about our work and take positive action to further Forge’s vision, mission and goals. 

We’ve Got You Covered 

We take the health and happiness of our employees seriously and are consistently evaluating new ways to make our benefits truly UnFORGEttable. 

• Health, Dental, and Vision insurance that starts on your first day at Forge, with 90% of premiums covered for team members as well as dependents 
• Flexible PTO (plus 14 paid company holidays) 
• Annual bonus for all full-time employees 

• 401(K) company match 
• Fully-stocked kitchen with free food/drinks 
• 12 weeks of paid parental leave - additional discount programs include childcare support & dependent care 
• Employee Assistance Program  
• Wellness benefits (financial planning services, mental health counseling, employer paid disability) 
• Professional & Personal development resources - LinkedIn Learning, a dedicate training staff in-house, mentoring opportunities & access to leadership development coaches