Career Center

The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute seeks a computational Postdoctoral Research Fellow under the Baca lab (https://bacalab.dana-farber.org/) and the Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics (https://cfce.dana-farber.org/) to analyze epigenomic datasets generated from patient samples in order help advance efforts for precision cancer medicine.??The candidate will lead collaborative projects, working closely alongside oncologist and cancer biologists in a multidisciplinary and intellectually stimulating environment.??The candidate will be affiliated with Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute and is expected to rapidly grow their skillset and portfolio of high-impact publications in a fast-paced, intellectually stimulating environment with some of the world???s top researchers and physicians.

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

The qualified candidate will specifically focus on developing new algorithms for the analysis of epigenomic datasets derived from clinical specimens, including tissues and blood to drive discovery of diagnostic and predictive biomarkers. A specific focus on advancing algorithm development through emerging deep learning techniques is especially of interest. The candidate will also integrate existing tools and databases into high-throughput analytical pipelines.

These projects include:

• Creation of algorithms for cell type deconvolution from epigenomic datasets generated from cancer tissues and patient plasma samples.
• Discovery of predictive biomarkers from epigenomic datasets using machine learning algorithms
• Studies of fragmentation patterns of DNA circulating in plasma and correlation with transcriptional programs in cancer

These projects are collaborative efforts between the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Center for Functional Cancer Epigenetics, and the Broad Institute. Their collective goal is to advance precision medicine by developing computational methods in translational epigenomics. Findings from these projects will result in not only impactful publications, but diagnostics and biomarkers that help patients and inform cancer care.

• A top-tier Ph.D., MD-PhD or doctoral equivalent in computer science, statistics, computational biology, mathematics, physics, or related quantitative fields
• A record of high-impact publications
• Substantial experience in computer programming and computational biological applications.
• A strong background in statistics, biology, and manipulation of high-throughput DNA sequencing datasets.
• Expert command of shell, Python, and/or R. Coding experience in C++ or similar language is a strong plus, as well as with workflow managers such as Nextflow or Snakemake.
• Must be comfortable operating on a high-performance compute cluster and cloud services such as AWS or Google Cloud.
• Experience managing and curating large datasets and applying machine learning techniques.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to perform both self-directed and guided research
• Outstanding personal initiative and the ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to meet deadlines and efficiently multitask is a must.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong.?? As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty and staff.?? Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other groups as protected by law.

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