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)