Senior Bioinformatic Research Scientist/Bioinformatic Research Scientist – Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Kellogg Lab
Be at the forefront of the gene editing revolution and contribute to developing next generation therapies for children. Top-tier compensation and benefits, supportive and collaborative team environment with unique opportunities and exciting potential for career advancement.

As part of the Structural Biology Department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Kellogg lab seeks a talented computational biologist who is looking to make high-impact contributions on exciting challenges at the scientific frontier of genome-editing. The Kellogg lab uses cutting edge  genetics, cryo-electron microscopy, machine-learning, and protein design to develop novel genome-editing tools. Located on the 6th floor of the new Inspiration4 Advanced Research Center (opened in 2021), the Kellogg lab leads the forefront of research in understanding the biology of CRISPR-associated transposons (Science, 2023, Molecular Cell, 2023, Science, 2023, Nature, 2023, PNAS, 2022, Science, 2021, and more) and is well supported by the NIH, Pew Biomedical Foundation, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to develop novel approaches to engineer programmable transposons for clinical gene replacement therapy. The Kellogg lab is a highly interdisciplinary scientific environment, routinely working with generously supported St. Jude research core facilities: Cryo-EM Center, the Protein Technology Center, the Single-Molecule Imaging Center, the Center for Advanced Genome Editing, and the Cell & Tissue Imaging Center. The Kellogg lab is a scientifically enriching environment with regular CRISPR supergroup discussions with Dr. Shengdar Tsai. In addition, the Kellogg lab is an active member of RosettaCommons and the Rosetta community. In this position, the candidate will be exposed to multiple, cutting edge techniques spanning cryo-electron microscopy, computational protein design, machine learning, and advanced genomics in a world class research environment aimed at advancing cures for genetic disorders.

About you

The successful candidate will be an independent learner with strong critical thinking skills and excellent communication skills. We are looking for someone with an outstanding independent track-record and stellar academic background. The ideal candidate is passionate about research and committed to developing tomorrow’s cures for children with devastating genetic disorders.

Our ideal candidate has extensive experience in one of the following (or more): bioinformatic analyses (metagenomic mining is a major plus), reconstructing evolutionary trajectories, protein structure prediction, or computational protein design. Scientists are expected to operate independently by leading new research directions in the Kellogg lab. The candidate will be mentored in manuscript preparation and be given opportunities for career advancement via conference attendance and oral presentation sponsorship.

Responsibilities:

• Develop new research directions under close mentorship of Dr. Kellogg.

• Stay up to date with latest CRISPR and protein engineering literature, conduct regular literature reviews in collaboration with Dr. Kellogg and other Kellogg lab members.

• Collaborate with other Kellogg lab members to design & clone large DNA libraries using state of the art machine learning methods

• Map phylogenetic relationships of CRISPR-associated systems to map functional interactions.

• Develop innovative sequence profile machine-learning based protein design pipelines in collaboration with Dr. Kellogg

• Collaborate with Kellogg lab members to develop novel tools/assays to collectively advance lab research goals.

• Mentor Kellogg lab members in executing internally developed computational analyses and pipelines.

• Prepare manuscripts and present research at relevant conferences, including but not limited to: CRISPR, genome-engineering, or protein design conferences.

Opportunities for Professional Growth

• The candidate will be given opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary scientific research and be mentored in developing leadership skills.

• The candidate will be given opportunities to develop new skills, including experimental biochemistry and/or structure determination in collaboration with Kellogg lab members.

• The candidate will be given opportunities to attend diverse scientific conferences in the areas of computational protein design (including the Rosetta community), machine learning, genome-editing, and transposon biology.

• The candidate will be given opportunities for oral presentations at local and national venues as well as opportunities to develop independent research directions.

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital is consistently named as one of Fortune magazine’s “Best Companies to Work for” and top 10 “Best Places to Work in Academia” by the Scientist Magazine. St Jude is located in Memphis, Tennessee, the 28th most populous city in America. Memphis is a historic city with an affordable cost of living along with world class dining and strong cultural tradition in music and theater. Memphis enjoys a mild, sunny climate year-round and has some of the largest outdoor green spaces of any big city.

St. Jude Employees receive:

• Competitive compensation packages commensurate with experience.

• Excellent healthcare plans with zero to low health premium costs.

• Generous retirement benefits with contributions from St. Jude

• Onsite health clinic, pharmacy, and exercise facilities.

• Paid parental leave and adoption assistance.

• Immigration Services

• Tuition Reimbursement

The Kellogg lab is committed to building a lab culture that is based on respect, diversity, and inclusion which contributes to a dynamic, innovative, and creative scientific environment that is fundamentally based on empathy and intellectual curiosity. The Kellogg lab is known for their rigor and fast pace, consistently aiming for ambitious goals that greatly expand the boundaries of human knowledge. The Kellogg lab is proud to be home to ambitious, curious, and fun-loving scientists of all nationalities and backgrounds.

Senior Bioinformatic Research Scientist

Minimum Education

• Bachelor's degree in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, statistics/computer science (with a background in biological sciences or chemistry) or related field.

• Master's degree or PhD preferred.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum Requirement: Bachelor's degree with 7+ years of relevant post-degree work in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, statistics/computer science (with a background in biological sciences or chemistry).

• Experience Exception: Master's degree with 5+ years of relevant post-degree experience (OR) PhD with 2+ years of relevant post-degree experience.

• Significant experience in at least one programming or scripting language and at least one statistical package, with R preferred.

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $104,000 - $186,160 per year for the role of Senior Bioinformatics Research Scientist.

Explore our exceptional benefits!

Bioinformatic Research Scientist

Minimum Education:

• Bachelor's degree in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, statistics/computer science (with a background in biological sciences or chemistry) or related field.

• Master's degree or PhD preferred.

Minimum Experience:

• Minimum Requirement: Bachelor's degree with 6+ years of relevant post-degree work in bioinformatics, cheminformatics, statistics/computer science (with a background in biological sciences or chemistry).

• Experience Exception: Master's degree with 4+ years of relevant post-degree experience (OR) PhD with no experience.

• Experience in at least one programming or scripting language and at least one statistical package, with R preferred.

This Position May be Ideal For:

• Ph.D.s with post-degree experience looking to establish an experimental line of inquiry before pursuing an independent research position.

• Experienced Computational Biologists looking for a stimulating, collaborative, and interdisciplinary lab environment committed to creating tomorrow’s genome-editing tools.

To virtually meet Dr. Kellogg, check out The Plunge, a Cryo-EM Podcast she and two colleagues hosted. Dr. Kellogg was also recently featured on Cryo-Talk to talk about her life & work.

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $86,320 - $154,960 per year for the role of Senior Bioinformatic Research Scientist/Bioinformatic Research Scientist –Kellogg Lab.

Explore our exceptional benefits!

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has a diverse, global patient population and workforce, built on the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Our founder Danny Thomas envisioned a hospital that would treat children of the world—regardless of race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. Learn more about our history and commitment.

Today, we continue the mission to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. As we accelerate this progress globally, we believe our legacy of diversity, equity and inclusion is foundational to success. With the commitment of leaders at all levels of the organization, we strive to ensure the St. Jude culture, leadership approaches and talent processes are equitable and culturally responsive. View our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report to learn about the hospital’s roots in diversity, equity and inclusion, where we are today and our aspirations for an even better future.

No Search Firms

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. Please do not call or email. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee or other representative at St. Jude via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place and approved by HR will result in no fee being paid in the event the candidate is hired by St. Jude.