Computational Biologist

Overview

Located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Versiti Blood Research Institute (VBRI) is the largest blood-focused research institute in the United States. With over 30 basic, translational, and clinical researchers, the institute is dedicated to advancing scientific knowledge and developing innovative therapies related to blood and blood disorders. The institute's research interests encompass a wide range of topics, including transfusion medicine, cellular therapy, thrombosis/hemostasis, immunology, and hematologic malignancies. As a vital part of Versiti, a non-profit organization with a blood bank at its core, the VBRI strives to improve lives through innovative research and the development of novel diagnostics and treatments.

VBRI is part of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Campus, a rapidly growing clinical-translational research hub. VBRI’s proximity to the Medical College of Wisconsin, Childrens’ Hospital of Wisconsin, and Froedtert Hospital facilitates seamless interdisciplinary collaborations. A range of exemplary core facilities support highly competitive research. In the summer of 2024, construction of a new research building will start, doubling existing VBRI research space to enable the recruitment of 10-15 new faculty. With its renowned researchers, strategic expansion plans and location in a highly collaborative environment, the VBRI is poised to maintain and expand its position as one of the leading hematology institutes in the world.

Position Summary

Provides data analysis, integration, and development of new computational methods to analyze and integrate genome wide datasets from transcriptome, epigenomic, and other types of functional genomics-based approaches.

Responsibilities

• Works with Investigators to develop a research project and communicates results of research at meetings.
• Collaborates with colleagues to analyze and integrate multiple types of genomic datasets using computational methods.
• Develops and implements bioinformatics pipelines tailored to individual research projects.
• Provides direction to trainees.
• Generates clear and complete records of work.
• Participates in publication and presentation of research.
• Coordinates and cooperatively manage resources (servers, data storage, and internet connectivity) with IT staff
• Serves as a resource for techniques, information, computational methods, interpretation of data, etc. for laboratory staff.
• Performs other duties as required or assigned which are reasonably within the scope of the duties in this job classification
• Understands and performs in accordance with all applicable regulatory and compliance requirements
• Complies with all standard operating policies and procedures

Qualifications

Education

• PhD in bioinformatics or related field required

Experience

• 1-3 years of relevant experience preferred, however newly graduated PhD’s are also encouraged to apply. preferred
• Experience with the analysis and interpretation of single cell datasets preferred
• Experience with pathway analysis tools preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Expertise in UNIX/Linux operating system required
• Expertise in programming includes C , PERL, JAVA or Python. required
• Strong background in statistics and expertise in statistical analysis software such as R or Matlab. desired
• Expertise in data management software such as MySql. preferred
• Strong knowledge of public bioinformatics tools and resources of genomic data, expertise in common next-generation sequencing data analysis pipelines for alignment, variant calling, RNA-seq, genomics, and ChIP-seq, etc. desired
• Ability to independently develop computational models based on research needs. desired
• Knowledge of molecular biology and genetics is strongly preferred, although wet-bench skills are not required. desired
• Ability to effectively communicate scientific information both verbally and in writing. required
• Ability to work both independently and as a team player given the collaborative nature of the job. required
• Strong analytical ability, problem solving skills, and detail oriented. desired
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks and meet deadlines. preferred

Tools and Technology

• Personal computer, servers. required