Open Positions

1- Research Health Data Scientist – Remote working (Contract, 6 months)
Our lab has an opening for one Research Health Data Scientist to investigate the genetic basis of key clinical features of bacterial infections. This position will be remote working with the ideal candidate holding BSc or MSc in a quantitative field and having a career interest in applied machine learning, computational biology, microbial evolution and bioinformatics, as well as experience working in an interdisciplinary team. The position is fully funded initially for 6 months with the possibility for extension.

The role:
The role involves generating, managing, exploring, inferring, validating, analyzing, and visualizing complex healthcare-related data and deploying them as data science solutions for clinical use in the field of infectious diseases.

• Conduct collaborative research to extract knowledge and insight from datasets using a variety of computational, statistical, and/or mathematical approaches.
• Develop scripts implementing analysis pipelines in robust and reproducible ways.

You will provide data science expertise and services and build workflows, analyses, and software to meet new research challenges. It is an excellent opportunity to develop new skills by spending time studying the translational research areas.

Minimum Qualifications:
• At least BSc & MSc in a quantitative field, e.g. applied mathematics, engineering or computer science, bioinformatics etc.
• Solid knowledge of R or Python and related packages for data processing, visualization, and analysis. 
• Relevant publications in the field is desirable.
• A proven track record of successfully delivering complex projects, preferably within a life science research environment (especially electronic health record data).
• Familiarity with interpretable machine learning models and natural language processing methods.
• Understanding of statistical principles related to sampling, bias, inference, and prediction.
• Deploy machine learning models as software and put them in production.
• Understanding of coding best practices, including clean, modular code, reproducibility, testing, and version control (GitHub).
• Ability to effectively communicate complex data science concepts verbally and through written materials to a variety of audiences.

How to apply: 
Send a cover letter (as an email), detailed CV, expected hourly rate and GitHub page or any sample completed project to dmoradigaravand@gmail.com. The application deadline is 15th April 2024.





2- Bioinformatics (Microbial Genomics) Consultant – remote working possible (Contract, 6 months with the potential of extension)
Our lab has an opening for one Bioinformatic consultant as part of the KAUST Smart Health Initiative, to investigate the genetic basis of key clinical features of bacterial infections. This position will be remote working with the ideal candidate holding PhD or equivalent experience working in a quantitative field and having a career interest in computational biology, microbial evolution and bioinformatics, as well as experience working in an interdisciplinary team. The position is fully funded initially for 6 months with the possibility for extension.


The role: 
The ideal candidate combines experience and interest in genomics, molecular evolution and population genetics to address key questions about the evolution of pathogens in clinical settings. The post holder will also contribute to several large-scale nationwide population genomics and genomic epidemiology projects by preparing samples for omic analyses such as whole genome sequencing and metagenomics. It is a plus if you know or are interested in microbial evolution and computational biology. You are highly motivated, energetic, determined, well-organized, self-motivated, and independent. You have a well-developed ability and the appropriate temperament to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team. You are open-minded and willing to give constructive criticism. You like to solve scientific problems and have a strong work ethic, integrity, and professionalism. 

The ideal candidate should be: 
• Ideally a doctorate in a relevant discipline area, such as applied mathematics, computational biology, physics, computer science or any related quantitative field. However, an individual holding a BSc or MSc but with extensive experience will also be considered. 
• Creative and self-motivated personality with interest in fundamental and applied science 
• Previous publications as first author in leading journals in the field of computational biology and microbial genomics 
• Extensive experience of programming in R, Python and bash scripting 
• Prior hands-on experience of handling big genomic data 
• Familiarity with statistical and machine learning methods in R or Python
• Familiarity with next generation sequencing technologies, microbial genomics pipelines, phylogenetic and phylodynamics. 
• Excellent problem-solving skills 
• Good interpersonal skills 
• Excellent communication skills in English 
• High-level written and oral communication skills with the ability to represent the research team at national and international conferences. 

How to apply: 
Send a cover letter (as an email), detailed CV, expected hourly rate and GitHub page or any sample completed project to dmoradigaravand@gmail.com. The application deadline is 15th April 2024.