Scientist II, Field Applications Bioinformatics Support

Scientist II, Field Applications Bioinformatics Support

PacBio (NASDAQ: PACB) is a premier life science technology company that designs, develops, and manufactures advanced sequencing solutions to help scientists and clinical researchers resolve genetically complex problems.  Our mission is to enable the promise of genomics to better human health. Genomics is core to all biological processes, and our advanced genomics tools provide scientists and clinical researchers the insights to better understand biology and health.  

To extend our team, we are looking for an experienced bioinformatics support scientist with a strong customer focus to enable and support data analysis for our customers and collaborators. In this role, she/he will be responsible to train customers for PacBio data analysis, support customers pre- and post-sales, perform data analysis, and function as a link between customers and PacBio. 

The candidate will combine bioinformatics, molecular biology, and software expertise. The ability to communicate with customers and internal teams are important aspects of this role. Our ideal candidate is a well-rounded top performer who can be a key contributor in a fast-pacing commercial environment, interacting with customers, scientists, and engineers from a wide variety of backgrounds. 

The position will be field based (home office) and include regular travel. Candidates must live within a reasonable commute (1-2 hours) of New York City.

Essential duties and responsibilities:

• Assist and enable customers and collaborators to ensure successful use of PacBio data analysis software

• Train customers on PacBio HiFi and SBB sequencing data characteristics and analysis tools, including SMRT Link software

• Be the primary contact for customers to understand their sequencing data

• Ensure timely bioinformatics and software assistance in response to customer inquiries

• Support sales in conducting scientific presentations, technical discussions, and customer meetings

• Work closely with application specialists, sales, service engineers, and technical support

• Provide customer feedback to product marketing and software development

• Support roll-out of new software and assist with software installations

• Work with customers and internal teams (FAS, service engineers, tech support) to prepare new instruments installations

Position Requirements: 

Personal Skills

• The role is field based, and up to 20% travel for onsite support and training is expected

• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills

• Proven ability and motivation to work independently, i.e., in a home office-based position

• Strong time management, organizational, and planning skills 

• Great cross-functional team player 

• Customer-focused mindset with the empathy to understand different levels of customers

• Good networking and customer relationship building skills

• Ability to work in a fast paced and growing commercial environment

• The candidate must have a valid driver’s license

• Live near an international airport

Technical Skills

• MSc/PhD in life sciences (molecular biology, biochemistry), bioinformatics, or related field

• 2+ years’ experience in bioinformatics, data management or tech support, ideally in life sciences industry

• Well-experienced with high throughput DNA sequencing data analyses and pipelines. Experience with PacBio data and tools is a plus

• Knowledge of state-of-the-art sequence analysis tools and workflows, such as sequence alignment, variant calling, de novo assembly, genome visualization, transcript mapping

• Understanding of Unix systems administration, networking, and large-scale compute hardware

• Experience with bash scripting, Python, R, and WDL/snakemake/nextflow

• Excellent troubleshooting capabilities and experience with good practice in customer support

• Previous work with CRM platforms is a plus, in particular Salesforce 

• Track record of conducting scientific presentations in person and virtually to internal and external audiences

• Wet lab experience and basic knowledge of DNA sequencing instruments and library preparation protocols is a plus

Candidates must have current authorization to work in the United States without the need for present or future sponsorship.

You may be required from time to time to visit and work at PacBio locations and for such times as the Company considers necessary for the proper performance of your duties