Computational Biologist/Senior Computational Biologist, Human Genetics

Who we are:

Calico (Calico Life Sciences LLC) is an Alphabet-founded research and development company whose mission is to harness advanced technologies and model systems to increase our understanding of the biology that controls human aging. Calico will use that knowledge to devise interventions that enable people to lead longer and healthier lives.  Calico’s highly innovative technology labs, its commitment to curiosity-driven discovery science, and, with academic and industry partners, its vibrant drug-development pipeline, together create an inspiring and exciting place to catalyze and enable medical breakthroughs.

Position Description:

Calico is seeking an experienced computational biologist interested in studying human physiology and aging. In this role, you will work with data from large human cohorts, such as UK Biobank, to investigate GxE effects on human health and longevity. You will integrate insights from multiple data sources to identify and characterize molecular networks regulating a human’s response to specific environments, such as exposure to medications. Your goal will be to understand the biological processes underlying conditional vulnerabilities, propose plausible mechanisms and help design experiments to test your hypotheses. You will use your experience to recommend new data sources that would facilitate your research. You will perform independent research and join collaborative projects led by a vibrant community of human geneticists, epidemiologists and physiologists. You will be encouraged to actively participate in defining the scientific direction of the group by proposing novel research directions, strategic investments and partnerships.

Responsibilities:

• Devise, implement and lead research projects focused on identifying and characterizing molecular networks underlying human traits using data from human biobanks and other sources
• Use statistical associations, causal inference methods and biological knowledge to generate hypotheses and design experiments to test them
• Work in close collaboration with an interdisciplinary group of experimental scientists, computational biologists and statisticians
• Present results at internal and external meetings
• Publish results in scientific journals and release open-source code

Requirements:

• A PhD degree in biology, genetics, computer science, statistics or related fields
• 5+ years of experience in statistical genetics and/or epidemiology (including PhD). Post-graduate experience (post-doc or industry) is a plus
• Strong coding skills in Python and/or R
• Strong interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying statistical associations
• Strong interest in studying GxE and GxG interactions (epistasis) in natural populations
• Track record of completed scientific projects as evidenced by publications and preprints
• Ability to work independently, ask questions and seek help when needed
• Must be willing to work onsite currently at least three days a week

The estimated base salary range for this role is $120,000 - $172,000. Actual pay will be based on a number of factors including experience and qualifications. This position is also eligible for two annual cash bonuses.