Project description Senior/Principal Informatics Specialist (12-Month Extended Contract– Onsite) Location: San Francisco Bay Area | Onsite: 5 days/week |
Position Overview: We are seeking an experienced and technically proficient Senior or Principal Informatics Specialist to join a collaborative preclinical research team at an innovative biotechnology company advancing therapies through integrated data science and automation. This role will play a pivotal part in optimizing research infrastructure, leading technical projects, and advancing data workflows that support drug discovery and preclinical experimentation. This is a high-impact position that requires strong scientific data acumen, hands-on programming skills, and a collaborative mindset. You will interface directly with cross-functional scientists, drive technical initiatives across AWS-based infrastructure, and enhance operational efficiency through informatics tooling and machine learning integration.
Key Responsibilities: Informatics Platform Enhancement: Maintain and evolve internal data infrastructure supporting the Design-Make-Test-Analyze (DMTA) cycle, including assay result QC, compound data management, and experiment tracking. Stakeholder Collaboration: Engage with biologists, chemists, and program teams to define requirements, gather feedback, and align deliverables with business timelines.
Technical Project Ownership: Lead informatics projects involving AWS-hosted systems and BioChemUDM, driving automation and optimization in line with the AWS Well-Architected Framework. Data Integration & Integrity: Support data synchronization and validation pipelines; ensure high data quality from generation through analysis.
Tool and Workflow Development: Use technologies such as Pipeline Pilot, KNIME, Python, Unix shell scripting, and tools like Certara D360, Titian Mosaic, Schrodinger LiveDesign, CDD Vault, Optibrium StarDrop, and AWS Glue.
Machine Learning Collaboration: Partner with in-house ML teams to deploy AI-driven models into operational systems and ensure their effective integration with experimental platforms.
Qualifications: Education & Experience: Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. in Biology, Chemistry, Informatics, or a related scientific discipline. 5–12 years of relevant industry experience, preferably in biotech/pharma research environments.
Technical Skills: Proficiency with Pipeline Pilot or KNIME, particularly in ETL/data processing for small molecules and assay data. Strong Python skills for data transformation and workflow scripting. Experience with cloud infrastructure, preferably AWS; AWS certification (Practitioner, Solutions Architect, or Data Engineer) is strongly preferred. Working knowledge of Unix/Linux shell scripting. Familiarity with tools such as Certara D360, Titian Mosaic, CDD Vault, StarDrop, and Schrodinger LiveDesign.
Project & Communication: Ability to independently lead technical projects and communicate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. PMP or other project management certification is a plus.
Additional Information: Contract duration is 12 months with high likelihood of extension. Candidates will work fully onsite (40 hours/week). Daily participation in brief scrum meetings and active engagement with scientific teams is required. Interview process includes a 30-minute initial call followed by an onsite panel with a presentation and Q&A session.
Ideal Candidate Profile: Background in preclinical informatics (not bioinformatics). Strong communicator with a collaborative, team-first approach. Hands-on experience with data integration and informatics systems used in early drug discovery. Able to balance strategic thinking with tactical execution.