Sr Translational Med Scientist

Position Summary

The Senior Translational Medical Scientist plays a key role in advancing Natera’s oncology pipeline by partnering with clinicians, product managers, and key opinion leaders (KOLs) to apply genomic data in improving healthcare outcomes.

This role primarily supports the development of products for early cancer detection, with secondary responsibilities that include participation in translational initiatives aimed at optimizing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing and informing clinical decision-making in both solid and hematologic malignancies.

This is a highly collaborative, cross-functional role requiring regular interaction with internal stakeholders as well as external research partners, pharmaceutical collaborators, and academic leaders. The Senior Translational Medical Scientist will contribute across multiple high-impact projects in a fast-paced, evolving environment.

Primary Responsibilities

• Partner with RD teams, clinicians, product managers, and KOLs to identify specimen biobanks to support early cancer detection assay development
• Apply expertise in genomics, molecular biology, and cancer biology to evaluate research and commercial opportunities in early cancer detection
• Collaborate with molecular biologists, computational biologists, and statisticians to develop and execute innovative research strategies
• Perform genomic analyses to investigate biological and clinical questions in oncology, with a focus on translating findings into improved patient care
• Lead internal efforts related to oncology knowledge management and curation
• Collaborate with external partners including academic KOLs, biotech firms, and pharmaceutical companies
• Communicate research findings to external collaborators and contribute to publications in high-impact journals
• Provide guidance and oversight to scientists and research associates
• Support the Regulatory Affairs team by assisting with responses to CLIA, CAP, and FDA inquiries related to product design and validation
• Perform other duties as assigned

Compliance PHI Responsibilities

• Regularly works with protected health information (PHI) in both electronic and paper formats
• Must complete HIPAA/PHI privacy training, General Policies and Procedures, and security training within the first 30 days of hire
• Required to maintain up-to-date training and compliance per Natera’s internal standards

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Cancer Biology, Genetics, or related field required
• Minimum of 5-8 years of relevant experience in translational science, oncology, or related fields

Knowledge, Skills Abilities

• Deep scientific background in oncology
• Experience with circulating nucleic acids and early cancer detection methods (e.g., methylation, SNV/indel panels, fragmentation) strongly preferred
• Familiarity with the use and optimization of novel genomic technologies and awareness of the competitive landscape
• Working knowledge of bioinformatics and genomic sequencing analysis
• Proficiency with data mining or statistical tools such as R, SQL, or Stata is a plus
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills; able to work effectively in cross-functional teams