Bioinformatics Research Scientist

A Bioinformatics Research Scientist position is available in the field of pharmacogenomics. The primary research focus of the Savic laboratory involves studying the gene regulatory architecture of pediatric leukemia to define how the noncoding portion of the human genome impacts chemotherapeutic drug response, chemotherapeutic drug resistance and leukemia relapse. To address these critical questions, the Savic laboratory applies multiple functional genomic and high-throughput approaches to identify and functionally characterize cis-regulatory elements and their associated noncoding sequence variants to define gene regulatory disruptions impacting pediatric leukemia pharmacogenomics. The long-term goal of the Savic laboratory is to gain a better understanding of the genetic underpinnings of chemotherapeutic drug resistance and relapse in pediatric leukemia.

The successful candidate will be responsible for analyzing and integrating orthogonal genomic datasets to infer the pharmacogenomic impact of cis-regulatory elements and associated noncoding sequence variants. To meet these tasks, the candidate will be responsible for implementing, building and managing analytical pipelines for collaborative projects within and beyond the laboratory.

Job Responsibilities:

• Independently use bioinformatic tools and software within a unix/linux programming environment to analyze and make conclusions about genomic data (such ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, Hi-C, WGS, etc.)
• Develop custom scripts (using Python, R, Java, C/C++, perl or other programming languages) to meet unique data analysis needs beyond available pipelines and software
• Implement, build and manage bioinformatic analytical pipelines (Bash scripting, Nextflow or Snakemake).
• Work with collaborators to plan, analyze and interpret experiments producing genomic data
• Assist with the preparation of data and figures for manuscripts and reporting to collaborators
• Analyze genetic variants across patient samples using defined software (GATK, PLINK, etc.)
• Programming and scripting to implement parallel computing in a High-Performance Computing (HPC) environment (LSF, SLURM, etc.)
• Train and guide other personnel on independent usage and result interpretation of bioinformatic software or pipelines
• Perform statistical analyses to report conclusions about genomic data
• Integrate an understanding of gene regulation (e.g. transcription factors, chromatin state, enhancers, genome structure, etc.) with bioinformatic data conclusions 

Minimum Education and/or Training:

• Bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Statistics, Mathematics, Bioinformatics or related field.
• Master's degree or PhD preferred.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum Requirement: Bachelor's degree with 6+ years of relevant post-degree work in bioinformatics, computational biology, statistics/computer science (with a background in biological sciences or chemistry).
• Experience Exception: Master's degree with 4+ years of relevant post-degree experience (OR) PhD with no experience.
• Significant experience in at least one programming or scripting language and at least one statistical package, with R/Python preferred.
• Cross training in biological sciences (e.g. genomics, genetics, gene regulation and epigenetics) is required.

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $86,320 - $154,960 per year for the role of Bioinformatics Research Scientist.

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has a diverse, global patient population and workforce, built on the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our founder Danny Thomas envisioned a hospital that would treat children of the world—regardless of race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. Learn more about our history and commitment.

Today, we continue the mission to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. As we accelerate this progress globally, we believe our legacy of diversity, equity and inclusion is foundational to success. With the commitment of leaders at all levels of the organization, we strive to ensure the St. Jude culture, leadership approaches and talent processes are equitable and culturally responsive. View our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report to learn about the hospital’s roots in diversity, equity and inclusion, where we are today and our aspirations for an even better future.

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