Senior Computational Researcher Drug Discovery or Computational Research Scientist

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital • Memphis, TN

44d • $78,000 - $139,360

About The Position

Join an excellent team of researchers dedicated to coming closer to the mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, that no child will die at the dawn of life. The Compuational and Structural Biology Center(CSBC) in the Center of Excellence for Data-Driven Discovery (C3D) of the Department of Structural Biology seeks a skilled and highly motivated Senior Bioinformatics Research Scientist. The CSBC is the collaborative interface of the C3D, working with St Jude researchers campus-wide to disseminate and implement the computational technological developments of the C3D. As a Senior Computational Researcher (S18) or Computational Research Scientist (S19) in the CSBC, you will play a pivotal role in the ligand discovery team, led by Dr. Christoph Gorgulla. You will be the first team member in the CBSC focused on ligand discovery, joining a team of dedicated computational researchers with diverse expertise ranging from structural bioinformatics to machine learning and AI. Your primary mission will be to work with other groups and researchers across St. Jude to implement our technologies to identify novel hit/lead compounds for the treatment of various diseases. You will work with them to optimize any results, working to obtain new tool compounds and drug candidates. Leveraging state-of-the-art computational methods, including structure-based ultra-large virtual screenings, (quantum and classical) free energy simulations, and machine-learning techniques, you will contribute to groundbreaking research in the field. The primary ligand discovery platform that we will be using is the VirtualFlow ultra-large virtual screening platform. Collaboration is at the heart of this role, and you will closely collaborate with other computational and wet lab colleagues who validate and experimentally verify the predicted hit and lead compounds. By working together in a collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a large number of ligand/drug discovery projects and make a lasting impact on the lives of children fighting cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to lead collaborative projects, mentor junior scientists and students, and contribute to high-impact publications.

Requirements

• Bachelors in bioinformatics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Computer Science, or related field required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum Requirement: Bachelor's degree and 4+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience Exception: Master's degree and 1+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience leading and supporting computational research.
• Some experience in research support activities.
• Proven performance in earlier role/ comparable role.
• Bachelor's degree in Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Computer Science, or related field required.
• Master's degree or PhD preferred.
• Minimum Requirement: Bachelor's degree and 6+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience Exception: Master's degree and 4+ years of relevant experience (OR) PhD with no experience.
• Rough criteria for this position based on publication output: 1-2 first author papers IF >5 (or equivalent contribution to other research outputs).

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience in computational research techniques preferred.
• Experience in project coordination, maintenance, and other research support activities preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform analyses using existing, modified, or newly developed tools/methods.
• Set up tools, and troubleshoot analyses using new or modified computational research techniques.
• Identify data pertinent to the analysis problem; process, organize, and summarize data; report results.
• Assist in the drafting and editing of manuscripts.
• Provide guidance to entry-level employees.
• Perform other duties as assigned to meet the goals and objectives of the department and institution.
• Maintains regular and predictable attendance.
• Lead computationally focused scientific research projects with moderate supervision from their PI.
• Provide inputs regarding analytical approaches, set up analyses, and can develop new computational research methods with input from PI.
• Identify, process, organize, summarize, review, and report relevant data.
• Draft a manuscript and work through the submission and review process with input from the PI, as directed.
• Instruct and provide guidance to other staff in basic computational research techniques and procedures.
• (In the case of recent Ph.D. graduates, this position can be considered equivalent to a mentored postdoctoral position.)

Benefits

• World-Class Benefits: St. Jude offers a world-class benefits package (https://www.stjude.org/jobs/hospital/benefits.html). Enjoy comprehensive healthcare, a competitive salary, tuition assistance for continued education, and exceptional work-life balance with ample paid time off.
• Competitive Compensation: Embark on your journey with a competitive salary (depending on experience) comprehensive benefits and generous relocation assistance, reflecting our commitment to recognize and invest in talent.
• Furthermore, in Memphis/Tennessee, there is no income tax.
• St. Jude offers many special perks, such as an on-site gym, an employee pharmacy, and many others.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees