Applied Research Scientist

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. 

In this critical role, you'll leverage your expertise in biology, machine learning and your biopharma experience to shape the future of our foundation model, ensuring it meets the complex needs of our customers in the biomedical industry. You'll work closely with the Research, Product and Business Development teams, using your expertise to align our Foundation Models progresses toward solving the most pressing biopharma challenges. Your role will be pivotal in guiding clients on how to integrate and maximize value from our models, ultimately driving innovation in drug discovery and development.

What you will be doing

As an expert Applied Scientist in computational biology and pharma R&D, you will:

• Bridge Research & Product: Understand the most valuable biopharma use-cases. Translate biopharma research questions into actionable machine learning objectives & tasks. Engage closely with product, business and research teams to define feature priorities.
• Enable Pre-Sales & Technical Sales: Serve as a trusted scientific partner during technical sales discussions—design proof-of-concept studies, address domain-specific queries, and deliver persuasive presentations that highlight the value of Bioptimus’ solutions.
• Client Education & Engagement: Provide ongoing training and support to clients on how to interpret and effectively apply our foundation models in their R&D pipelines. Help them unlock actionable insights in proteomics, transcriptomics histology data and beyond.
• Thought Leadership: Represent Bioptimus at conferences, workshops, and in client meetings, demonstrating domain expertise and the potential of AI-driven drug development.
• Research & Innovation: Collaborate with our research team to identify new AI and foundation model approaches that can be integrated into the product. Contribute to publications, patents, and case studies showcasing novel applications in pharma R&D.

Who we are looking for

The successful candidate will have a ‘team-first’ kind of attitude; be independent, curious, and detail-oriented; thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment; and be fun to work with. We value individuals who bring deep domain expertise in pharma R&D alongside strong computational, hands-on skills.

• Pharma R&D Expertise:
• Deep understanding of biopharma R&D use-cases, challenges, tools and processes (target discovery, preclinical studies, clinical trial design, biomarker discovery, diagnostics, regulatory considerations etc.)
• Ability to break down high-level biopharma use-cases into actionable recommendations for the research & product team (ex: specific loss function, evaluation metrics, data annotations etc)
• Computational Biology:
• Extensive experience working with genomics, proteomics, single-cell or histology data, encompassing the entire analysis pipeline, from dataset generation and curation based on raw measurements with the appropriate bioinformatics tools, to the application of machine learning models to assess scientific hypotheses and drive novel discoveries.
• Demonstrated expertise applying machine learning to computational biology, including scientific publications at high-impact journals (Nature, Science, Cell, Nucleic Acids Research, Genome Biology, …) and/or top conferences in the field (ISMB, RECOMB, NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, …).
• Mastery of the different evaluation protocols and metrics used in the literature.
• Exceptional Communication Skills: Capable of engaging both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Adept at crafting compelling presentations and scientific narratives for high-level stakeholders and internal teams.
• Educational Background: PhD or equivalent experience in Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Pharmacology, or related field.

Ways to stand out:

• Deep Domain Knowledge: Having extensive experience in applying AI models in pharma or biotech settings, including clinical or translational research.
• Publications & Thought Leadership: A track record of publishing impactful scientific papers or speaking at conferences on computational biology, foundation models, or drug discovery.
• Project Leadership Experience: Demonstrated ability to faciliate & manage complex projects, and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Experience in a startup or innovative environment, showing adaptability, proactiveness, and eagerness to take on varied responsibilities.
• Client-Centric Approach: Proven success in supporting sales or consulting activities, shaping product offerings, and ensuring client satisfaction through ongoing relationship management.

What We Offer

• A collaborative and mission-driven work environment.
• Competitive salary and equity package.
• Flexible work arrangements, including remote options.
• Opportunities for professional growth and leadership development.
• Shape the future of biology and AI by contributing to groundbreaking work.