Junior Data Scientist

Salary for this Role:

From £36,835 per annum plus benefits, subject to skills and experience

Job Title:

Reports to:

Closing Date:

Job Description:

Junior Data Scientist

Contract term: This is a full-time, fixed term (12 months) position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

Reporting to: Dr Samra Turajlic, Group Leader

Salary for this Role: From £36,835 with benefits, subject to skills and experience

About us

The Francis Crick Institute is Europe’s largest biomedical research institute under one roof. Our world-class scientists and staff collaborate on vital research to help prevent, diagnose and treat illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, infectious diseases and neurodegenerative conditions. 

The Crick is a place for collaboration, innovation and exploration across many disciplines. A space where the brightest minds can pursue big and bold ideas and discover answers to crucial scientific questions. We support them in a dynamic environment which fosters excellence with state-of-the-art infrastructure, cutting-edge facilities, and a creative and curious culture. We’ve removed traditional boundaries of departments, divisions and disciplines and instead have an open approach that supports every researcher. This gives us the freedom to take risks and carry out high-quality, pioneering research. Creating a space for discovery without boundaries helps us to turn our science into benefits for human health and the economy. 

About the Turajlic Lab

The Turajlic Lab studies how cancers evolve, adapt and respond to treatment, combining cutting-edge genomics, computational biology and clinical research to better understand cancer and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Our research focuses particularly on renal cell carcinoma and melanoma, exploring the impact of the tumour microenvironment, immune system and cancer therapies on tumour evolution.

Working across the Crick and with leading national and international collaborators, our team analyses rich datasets from major studies including MANFIEST, TRACERx, PEACE, ADAPTeR and A-PREDICT.

About the role

We are looking for a Junior Data Scientist to join our multidisciplinary team and support the analysis of complex genomic and transcriptomic datasets.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an early-career bioinformatician or computational biologist who wants to develop their skills while contributing to exciting, clinically relevant cancer research.

You’ll work closely with computational scientists, wet-lab researchers and clinicians, supporting the analysis of various multimodal datasets including bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, whole exome sequencing, cytokine and spatial data and helping turn complex datasets into meaningful biological insights.

You’ll also have access to the Crick’s extensive computational infrastructure and opportunities to collaborate with researchers nationally and internationally.

See the full job description here

Click to find out more about the Turajlic Lab

What you’ll be doing

You will be responsible for:

• Analysing high-throughput genomic and spatial data, including whole genome sequencing, bulk RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq, peripheral cytokine, spatial proteomics and transcriptomics.
• Applying bioinformatics and statistical approaches to clinical and experimental datasets.
• Using R/Bioconductor and/or Python to analyse and interpret data.
• Working with Linux, cloud and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
• Integrating publicly available NGS datasets with data generated within the lab.
• Working closely with scientists to interpret findings and answer biological questions.
• Communicating results through project meetings and analysis reports.
• Contributing to a collaborative programme of cancer evolution research.

About you

You will have:

(Minimum Criteria*)

• A degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or a related discipline, with a scientific background in biology.
• Experience analysing next-generation sequencing data, particularly whole genome or exome sequencing, bulk and single-cell RNA-seq.
• Experience using R/Bioconductor and/or Python.
• Familiarity with Linux and HPC environments.
• Experience applying bioinformatics or statistical approaches to biological datasets in the field of cancer biology.
• A good understanding of molecular biology.
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills.
• The ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team.

About Working at the Crick

Our values  

Everyone who works at the Crick has a valuable role to play in advancing the Crick’s mission and shaping our culture! 

• We are bold. We make space for creative, dynamic and imaginative ideas and approaches. We’re not afraid to do things differently. 

• We are open. We’re highly collaborative and interactive, and make sure our activities are visible to the outside world. 

• We are collegial. We show respect for one another, work cooperatively and support the wider community. 

At the Francis Crick Institute, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential to driving innovation and scientific discovery. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to succeed, regardless of their background, identity, or personal circumstances. We actively encourage applications from individuals of all genders, ethnicities, abilities, and experiences. We are a Disability Confident: Committed employer and want to ensure that everyone can apply and be part of our recruitment processes and so we'll make reasonable adjustments if you need them - just let us know when you apply. If you need assistance with applying (i.e., would like to apply by phone or post) please email: [email protected].

Find out more about life at the Crick.

What will you receive?  

At the Francis Crick Institute, we value our team members and are proud to offer an extensive range of benefits to support their well-being and development: 

• Generous Leave: 28 days of annual leave, plus three additional days over Christmas and bank holidays. 

• Pension Scheme: Defined contribution pension with employer contributions of up to 16%. 

• Health & Well-being: 

• 24/7 GP consultation services. 

• Occupational health services and mental health support programs. 

• Eye care vouchers and discounted healthcare plans. 

• Work-Life Balance: 

• Back-up care for dependents. 

• Childcare support allowance. 

• Annual leave purchase options. 
• Crick Networks offering diverse groups’ support, community and inclusive social events.

• Perks: 

• Discounted gym memberships, bike-to-work scheme, and shopping discounts. 

• Subsidised on-site restaurant and social spaces for team interaction.
• Career support: Since September 2017 Crick has been a signatory to the Technician Commitment, an initiative across the research sector to ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.

Please note you must meet the essential criteria listed within the Role Profile, to have your application reviewed.  

We reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any given time due to the number of applications received.