Bioinformatics Staff Scientist

Bioinformatics Staff Scientist

IFOM The FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology Foundation

Milan, Italy

The candidate will operate within the laboratory of Prof. Bardelli, full professor at the University of Turin and scientific director of IFOM institute in Milan. The Bardelli’s laboratory is a dynamic and multidisciplinary group encompassing computational biologists, biotechnologists and physicians with extensive national and international collaborations.

Our research focuses on identifying novel therapeutic opportunities for patients with colorectal cancer. In particular, we aim to:

• Test the hypothesis that therapeutic inactivation of DNA repair pathways in cancer cells can be exploited for patient benefit by reawakening anti-tumor immune responses;
• Characterize tumor evolution and cancer cell plasticity to identify novel vulnerabilities and therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing tumor recurrence.

The candidate will work in close collaboration with wet-lab researchers, providing computational support and contributing to both collaborative and independent research projects. The candidate will develop and implement custom computational methods and analytical pipelines to address these research objectives, leveraging innovative data-driven and quantitative approaches.

Qualification

Wide experience in the analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data; experience in the analysis of other “omics” data types is a plus. Strong background in cancer biology, with demonstrated experience in translational or biomedical research contexts;

• Solid knowledge of statistics and applied mathematical methods for data analysis;
• Strong programming skills (e.g. Python, R, Bash; experience with C/C++ or similar languages is a plus);
• High confidence in Linux-based systems, including command-line environments;
• Familiarity with tools for workflow management and versioning (Snakemake, Nextflow, conda, git, docker, etc.);
• Previous usage and/or development of methods for machine learning and artificial intelligence;
• Experience in managing computational infrastructures, including servers and/or HPC environments (e.g. job schedulers, resource management, storage systems);
• Basic to intermediate knowledge of IT infrastructure and security best practices (user management, access control, data protection, backups, compliance with data governance policies).

Education:

• PhD in bioinformatics, computational biology, computer science, applied mathematics, data science, engineering (computer engineering, biomedical engineering) or in a closely related quantitative discipline within life sciences (Biology, Biological Science, …).

Languages:

• Proficiency in English, with strong written and verbal communication skills.

Soft Skills:

• Proven ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams bridging biology, computation, and clinical research;
• Flexible, problem-solving–oriented mindset, with the ability to adapt to changing project requirements;
• Excellent project management skills, including coordination of computational analyses across multiple projects;
• Good interpersonal, organizational, and communication skills, with a strong aptitude for independent responsibility and technical leadership.