Director Computational Biology

About Karius

Karius is a venture-backed life science startup focused on transforming how infectious diseases are diagnosed.  Combining Next-Generation Sequencing and proprietary data analysis, we can identify over 1,000 human pathogens from a single blood sample with a typical turnaround time of one business day. By unlocking the information present in microbial cell-free DNA, we're helping doctors quickly solve their most challenging cases, with a future vision of accelerating clinical trials, discovering new microbes, and reducing patient suffering worldwide.

Position Summary 

You are highly curious and creative and desire to continuously grow and improve in your goal to make an impact on patients.  We are seeking an exceptional Director of Computational Biology to lead our seasoned team of computational biologists and data scientists. The role is pivotal for steering some of our most ambitious innovations, which are grounded on cutting-edge statistical learning algorithms and probabilistic modeling. You are as energized as our team is when it comes to scientific innovation that carries the potential to have a foundational impact on patients, matched with significant academic and professional achievements. You can thrive in multidisciplinary settings and in this challenging yet rewarding position. The role reports directly to the Chief Technology Officer, influencing the strategic technological direction of Karius. 

Why Should You Join Us?

Karius core mission is to conquer infectious diseases through innovations around genomic sequencing and machine learning. The company’s platform already delivers unprecedented insight into the microbial landscape, providing clinicians with a comprehensive test capable of identifying more than a thousand pathogens directly from blood. Through this journey, we have repeatedly found ourselves innovating beyond state-of-the-art to deliver critical insights from our new data type - microbial cell-free DNA. You, as a future leader of one of Karius’ most innovative teams, will be able to impact and drive critical elements in our core technology platform and will be able to see significant implications of this work on patients suffering from infectious disease and beyond.

Reports to: Chief Technology Officer

Location:  Redwood City, CA (Hybrid) or Remote (US)

Primary Responsibilities

In a nutshell, develop and lead an innovative team whose mission is to deliver one of the world’s most advanced analytical platforms for analyzing raw microbial data, bridging scientific breakthroughs and significant unmet medical needs.

•  Leadership & Strategy. Spearhead the computational biology and data science team towards achieving critical innovation aligned with Karius' strategic goals. Foster a culture of collaboration, excellence, continuous learning, and constructive feedback among the team members. Ensure all projects have clear, well-motivated, measurable goals aligned with leadership’s long-term objectives. 

•  Research & Development.  Lead substantial method development projects, contributing to the development of advanced mathematical constructs, particularly in probabilistic modeling. Work closely with medical experts and integrate domain knowledge to drive the development and improvement of analytical methodologies, with an eye towards improving care for people suffering from infectious diseases. Engage in rigorous data-driven planning, risk and benefits assessment, and goal-setting to ensure the successful execution of analytics projects.

•  Innovation & Execution. Drive the development and publication of methodological innovations that contribute to our core product and support extending the application of the core technology and its application beyond infectious disease diagnostics. Demonstrate unparalleled ability in analyzing and interpreting microbial cell-free DNA signals, delivering accurate, reliable, and actionable analytical results.

•  Communication & Collaboration. Develop partnerships across teams and departments at Karius, as well as outside of Karius, and across both industry and academia. Engage actively with multiple departments, playing a catalytic role at the intersection of computational biology, machine learning, and domain-specific challenges. Present findings, share knowledge and communicate complex ideas effectively to various stakeholders, ensuring alignment and understanding across the board. Maintain a track record of publications, talks, and posters, showcasing Karius' groundbreaking work in reputable scientific forums, promoting and developing team members to demonstrate leadership in the ongoing communication of our results. Deeply engage in mentorship, fostering the growth of individual team members and nurturing a collaborative environment.

What’s Fun About the Job?

Karius is operating at the edge of what is now known to be possible in infectious disease diagnostics. With that, comes a wave of new and incredible challenges and opportunities. To deliver on that value, you will be tapping into some of the most advanced technologies, architecting and innovating where the current solutions simply don't suffice. You will get to see how much your work really matters. 

Travel:  Very minimal travel might be required (e.g., conferences)

Physical Requirements

Subject to extended periods of sitting and/or standing, vision to monitor, and moderate noise levels. Work is performed in an office environment.

Position Requirements

•  PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Statistics, Genetics, or a related field, with a solid track record of publications in reputable venues that demonstrate significant method development capabilities.

•  7+ years of industry experience leading the development of cutting-edge computational and analytical methods aimed at deriving critical or novel insights from advanced molecular data, including but not limited to next-generation sequencing data. Significant innovation surrounding the derivation of biological insights and complex mechanisms of the microbiome in particular would be advantageous.

•  3+ years of experience in leading a senior team of scientists and computational biologists, as well as complex multi-disciplinary core teams

Proficient in probabilistic modeling, machine learning algorithms, and other mathematical tools.

•  Excellent communication skills, with a proven ability to present complex ideas clearly and effectively to leading scientific communities and, within the industry setting, leadership teams.

•  Post-doc experience in statistics, computational biology, genetics, or biological field with a strong computational aspect, while not required, would be considered as a significant advantage.

Personal Qualifications

The person we are seeking is humble, curious, and has experience both as a mentor and mentee. At Karius, we value innovation, collaboration, and are driven by the impact of our work on real-world problems. If you share our vision and have a relentless curiosity to solve complex scientific challenges, we encourage you to apply.

•  Passionate, purpose-driven, and excited about Karius’ mission

Excellence at communication and collaboration within a cross-functional team.

•  Detail-oriented with exceptional organizational and time management skills.

•  Self-starting mentality and ability to drive results.

•  Comfortable working in an environment that combines both research aspects as well as development.

•  Ability to work effectively and efficiently in a fast-paced (startup) environment.  

At Karius, we value a diverse and inclusive workplace and provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees, and are committed to honor and invest in the full diversity of people, in our hiring, recruiting, and development of employees across the Company.  All qualified applicants for employment are encouraged to apply and will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, and gender expression (including transgender individuals who are transitioning, have transitioned, or are perceived to be transitioning to the gender with which they identify), religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. If you are unable to submit your application due to a disability, please contact us at recruiting@kariusdx.com and we will accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities.

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