Job Description

Job Description

We are seeking a computational scientist to join the Data & Computational Sciences (DCS) team at the Boston, MA site of Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The individual is expected to bring a broad experience in analyzing multiple chemical and biological datatypes, to address questions that arise in our disease programs that are characterized by multiple, potentially orthogonal experimental approaches. The goal of these efforts is to use integrative approaches to propose hypotheses that drive experimentation. The results of such verification should feedback into the analyses, leading to cycle of experimentation and computation that ultimately lead to insights into biological mechanism that drive disease biology, and enable data-driven decision making

The candidate will collaborate with colleagues in DCS and experimental scientists across Vertex to design studies, and develop and apply analyses across multiple datatypes, to identify key insights with a critical impact on the discovery and development of transformative therapies. It will be critical to leverage and integrate relevant data available, and also suggest new studies or data types that can drive additional decision-making.

While the initial focus will be on questions in drug discovery and research, future application may include other related scientific areas in pre-clinical and pharmaceutical sciences.

Responsibilities:

• Formulate hypotheses to address key scientific questions, identify, or if needed, develop analytic methods to interrogate multiple, heterogeneous datasets to test the hypotheses

• Identify questions and key data that could be answered by an integrative data analytics approach; partner with key stakeholders to source and acquire these data.

• Recommend experiments to test out hypotheses or to generate specific data to support analytical approaches

• Distill complex analyses and scientific results into key take-home messages and recommendations for next steps to a broad audience.

• Identify published methods and databases that are relevant for integrative analysis and bring them in-house for evaluation, and if applicable work with relevant stakeholders to productionize their use

• Bridge between experimental and computational scientists, ensuring that the results of computation are effectively communicated to stakeholders within DCS and other departments

• Where relevant, be responsible for prototyping pipelines to create integrated datasets that combine internal and/or external data sources, and work with colleagues in DTE to productionize such datasets for broader use within DCS

• As an emerging expert in the field, provide reliable advice to other team members on a regular basis.

Qualifications:

• A PhD (or equivalent) in computational sciences, with 4-7 years of relevant experience in a cross-functional informatics or data science role

• Experience in analyzing one or more chemical and biological datatypes such as small molecule structure-activity, transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics or imaging, and ideally experience in working with multiple such data types

• Familiarity with database technologies (such as SQL), experience querying public databases such as ChEMBL, OpenTargets, GTEx or STRINGdb, and integrating & harmonizing data from one or more of such databases

• Very strong programming skills, ideally in Python and/or R; solid understanding of statistics

• Experience in the use of machine learning methods as applied to chemical or biological data

• Familiarity with data visualization tools and best practices

• Familiarity with software development best practices such as version control and unit testing

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• A team-oriented growth mindset that welcomes feedback from others and supports other team members; a positive attitude that enthusiastically tackles and overcomes challenges

Flex Designation:

Flex Eligibility Status:

In this Hybrid-Eligible role, you can choose to be designated as: 
1.    Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2.    On-Site: work five days per week on-site with ad hoc flexibility.

Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertex’s Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.

Company Information

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.

Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital status, or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an E-Verify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, in accordance with applicable law.

Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager, or contact Talent Acquisition at ApplicationAssistance@vrtx.com