Sr Bioinformatics Scientist - Algorithm & Assay Development (Remote, US)

Sr Bioinformatics Scientist – Algorithm & Assay Development (Remote, US)

We are looking to hire a candidate with the mentioned skill sets and experience for one of our clients within the diagnostics and pharma services company. This is contracting and REMOTE role.

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Senior Bioinformatics Scientist to develop, optimize, and validate clinical-grade NGS algorithms supporting oncology diagnostics, liquid biopsy, and solid tumor genomic assays.

The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in cancer genomics, ctDNA analysis, variant calling, algorithm development, statistical modeling, and analytical validation within regulated clinical environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize NGS algorithms for detecting SNVs, indels, CNVs, structural variants, and RNA biomarkers.
• Design novel algorithms and analytical methodologies for ctDNA, liquid biopsy, and oncology diagnostics.
• Apply statistical modeling and machine learning techniques to improve assay performance.
• Design and execute analytical validation studies, including sensitivity, specificity, and limit of detection (LoD).
• Develop and monitor clinical-grade quality control (QC) metrics.
• Analyze cancer genomics data using Python, R, and established bioinformatics tools.
• Collaborate with software engineering teams to integrate algorithms into scalable production pipelines using Nextflow, Seqera, and AWS HealthOmics.
• Prepare validation reports and support regulatory documentation for CLIA, CAP, and FDA requirements.
• Lead proof-of-concept studies and collaborate with assay development, clinical, and regulatory teams.
• Troubleshoot and optimize clinical NGS analysis pipelines.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Applied Statistics, or related field with 4+ years of relevant experience; or Master's/Bachelor's degree with additional industry experience.
• Strong experience in NGS data analysis, cancer genomics, and clinical oncology diagnostics.
• Hands-on experience developing and validating NGS variant-calling algorithms.
• Expertise in SNVs, indels, CNVs, structural variants, and somatic variant detection.
• Experience with ctDNA, liquid biopsy, or oncology assay development.
• Strong proficiency in Python and/or R.
• Experience with GATK, Mutect2, VarDict, VEP, SnpEff, BWA, Samtools, BEDTools, VCF, and BAM.
• Experience conducting analytical validation studies and evaluating assay performance.
• Knowledge of CLIA, CAP, FDA, and clinical diagnostic regulatory requirements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DRAGEN, Sentieon, Nextflow, Seqera, or AWS HealthOmics.
• Familiarity with cancer genomics databases such as TCGA, COSMIC, gnomAD, and dbSNP.
• Experience with machine learning, statistical classifiers, and biomarker discovery.
• Knowledge of ISO 13485, IEC 62304, or ISO 15189.

Other Job Details:

• Job Type: C2C or W2.
• Duration: 6+ months with high possibility of extension.
• Location: REMOTE.
• Interviews: Video interviews.
• Docs required: ID proof will be required.

Why Should You Apply?

Work on innovative cancer diagnostics and liquid biopsy technologies, developing advanced NGS algorithms that support precision oncology and improve clinical testing outcomes.