Computational Research Scientist, Simmons Cancer Center
Location Type: On-site
Job Number: 965040
Category: Professional & Executive
Job Number: 965040
Category: Professional & Executive
WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you’ll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career!
JOB SUMMARY
Leads the design and implementation of High-Performance Scientific Computing infrastructure. Performs and supports scientific research using technical knowledge of software, software development, complex databases, high-performance computing, and/or hardware in a complex computing environment. Performs scientific research using knowledge of formalisms and algorithms from mathematics, statistics, and/or computer science.
The Center for Cellular Therapies and Cancer Immunology in the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center is looking to hire a Computational Research Scientist at the interface of machine learning, cancer genomics, and immunology. You will build and apply computational methods that turn large-scale multi-omic and functional datasets into validated therapeutic hypotheses, while working side by side with experimental and translational scientists to bring those hypotheses to the clinic.
This is a senior, high-autonomy position suited to someone who wants their models to drive biological discovery to therapies. You will help set scientific direction, mentor junior computational and experimental scientists, and serve as the analytical backbone of a program developing novel immunotherapies within a new center.
What you will do
• Build predictive models that integrate genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, single-cell, and functional-screen data to nominate novel therapeutic targets in cancer and the tumor immune microenvironment.
• Drive immunotherapy engineering by applying machine learning to antigen and neoantigen discovery, de novo protein design, and the optimization of engineered immune cells.
• Develop methods for interpreting high-dimensional and perturbation data, including deep learning approaches to sequence, structure, and single-cell readouts.
• Partner closely with wet-lab scientists to design experiments, prioritize candidates for validation, and iterate rapidly between computation and the bench.
• Lead and mentor trainees and staff, set analytical standards, and help shape the scientific roadmap of the program.
• Communicate results through high-impact publications, presentations, and collaborations across UT Southwestern’s research and clinical community.
Areas of focus
Depending on your interests and strengths, your work can center on identifying novel cancer immunotherapy targets and/or developing novel therapeutics. Approaches may include:
• Machine learning applied to multi-omic, single-cell, and functional data
• Clinical–molecular correlations that link genotype and tumor biology to therapeutic response
• De novo protein design
• Computational proteomics
Preferred Qualifications
Education
o Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Biomedical Engineering, or related field
o Master’s degree in computer science, Electrical Engineering, or related field
Experience
o 2 years experience in driving computational biology/machine learning projects.
o 4 years experience in driving computational biology/machine learning projects with Master’s Degree.
o Post-doctoral fellowship preferred.
BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION
Required
JOB DUTIES
SECURITY AND EEO STATEMENT
Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information. To the extent this position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired and to continue to be employed in the position.
EEO
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.
Why are top candidates in so many professional fields – including customer service, finance, and human resources, to name a few – choosing UT Southwestern Medical Center as a career home? Simple. They know that they will work among a team of people who bring their best every day to support a health organization that’s breaking new ground in dozens of ways. That’s what we can offer you.
It takes a lot to keep UT Southwestern at the forefront, where world-class patient care, acclaimed medical education, and innovative research breakthroughs are common occurrences. When you join us, those are the challenges you’ll share. Our organization has taken on serious commitments and responsibilities within a rapidly evolving health care system.
Change is a constant, so our work supporting this complex matrix of business and systems needs must rise to the highest level of professionalism, collaboration, and innovation. That’s true for every role across the Medical Center and represents why this can be the most challenging work of your career.