Head of Computational Biology

About Bioptimus

Incorporated in October 2023, Bioptimus is a fast-growing Series A startup headquartered in Paris, France.

We are building a team of creative minds. Together, we aspire to redefine the landscape of biology with AI, unlocking its potential for everyone.

Our mission is to build the first universal AI foundation model for biology to fuel breakthrough discoveries and unlock AI superpowers for the biomedical ecosystem.

About the Role

We are an AI-driven startup pioneering the development of a universal foundation model for biology. Our mission is to revolutionise biological research and innovation through cutting-edge technology.

As the Head of Computational Biology at Bioptimus, you will play a critical role in shaping our scientific roadmap, working closely with all other senior leaders and members of the technical team.

What you will be doing

• Work alongside our AI researchers and computational biologists to improve upon our data preprocessing, curation and quality control methodology
• Lead the research efforts for the design and scoping of our data generation and acquisition strategy in a data-driven manner, anchored by deep scientific knowledge of the field
• Spearhead the exploration and prioritization of use-cases and novel applications of foundation models in drug development and biomedical research
• Work with our AI researchers and computational biologists to refine and develop evaluation methodology to systematically track progress over a broad range of applications in drug development and biomedical research
• Leverage biological domain knowledge to brainstorm with our AI researchers and computational biologists about novel modeling ideas

Who we are looking for

• PhD in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Genetics, Molecular/Cellular Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field of biology
• At least 10 years of industry experience within biotech or pharmaceutical companies
• Knowledge of drug development pipelines, from target identification to clinical trial design and execution
• Broad experience and scientific knowledge encompassing multiple indications in oncology
• Proficiency in handling diverse biological data types, such as WES/WGS, bulk and single-cell transcriptomics or bulk and single-cell epigenomics
• Familiarity with bleeding-edge spatial omics and/or multi-omics assays
• Proven expertise in large-scale biological/clinical data generation and/or acquisition
• Experience working alongside AI/ML researchers and eagerness to exchange knowledge within a highly multidisciplinary team
• A deep interest in shaping the future of AI for biology, and ensuring that the best-in-class foundation models of biology will be revolutionary yet applied with all the essential safety and fairness considerations
• Excellent leadership and people management skills

Successful candidates should also have a “team-first” attitude; thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment; and have excellent written and oral communication skills.

Ways to stand out:

The following are not necessarily required, but would be a plus:

• Track record of scientific publications at high-impact journals (Nature, Science, Cell, Nucleic Acids Research, Genome Biology, …)
• Knowledge of regulatory frameworks (EMA, FDA)
• Experience with computational pathology and/or medical imaging
• Proficiency in spatial transcriptomics and/or spatial proteomics
• Familiarity with state-of-the-art foundation models of biology, their current strengths and weakness for applications in drug development, and the best practices for evaluation

What We Offer

• A collaborative and mission-driven work environment.
• Competitive salary and equity package.
• Flexible work arrangements, including remote options across Europe.
• Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
• Shape the future of biology and AI by contributing to groundbreaking work.
• You should be able to attend retreats and events in the Paris office (around once a quarter)

We believe that the unique contributions of all Bioptimists create our success.

To ensure that our culture continues to incorporate everyone’s perspectives and experience, we never discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or marital, veteran, or disability status.

Decisions related to hiring are made fairly, and we provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates. We take responsibility for always striving to create an inclusive environment that makes every employee and candidate feel welcome.