COMPUTATIONAL SCIENTIST ASSOCIATE University of Alabama, Birmingham

We are seeking a talented and motivated Computational Biologist Associate to join our team in developing the CHARM (Collecting, Harmonizing, Analyzing, Reasoning about, and Manipulating) framework as part of the Precision Medicine lnstitute's participation in the ARPA-H Biomedical Data Fabric program. The CHARM framework is a cutting-edge, open-source end-to-end toolchain that aims to revolutionize the way biomedical data is collected, curated, and analyzed by leveraging advanced Al techniques, including generative Al and knowledge graphs. As a Computational Biologist Associate, you will work closely with our interdisciplinary team of experts in biomedical informatics, data science, computational biology, and artificial intelligence to design, implement, and optimize various components of the CHARM framework. Your contributions will help drive the development of innovative tools and techniques that can accelerate biomedical research and improve patient outcomes.

Participates in the problem assessment, analysis, and development of computational methods, pipelines or procedures; evaluates, selects, and applies appropriate methods to the specific research problems. Contributes to the analysis of complex data; participates in interpretation and reporting of results. Identifies relationships and trends or any factors that could affect the results of research. Oversees projects of moderate size, scope, and complexity. Implements programming and workflow management systems to scale processes and analysis across a variety of computational platforms, including High Performance Computing clusters. Performs debugging on existing or novel methods and tools, and creates documentation. Manages computational environments (virtual environments and containers). Contributes to technical proposal preparation and/or presentations.

Key Duties & Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the research team to design and implement software components for the CHARM framework

• Develop and optimize algorithms for data harmonization, integration, and analysis

• Integrate advanced Al techniques, such as generative Al and knowledge graphs, into the CHARM framework

• Participate in code reviews and ensure the maintainability, scalability, and robustness of the codebase

• Contribute to the documentation and testing of the CHARM framework

• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in software engineering and Al

• Perform other duties as assigned

If you are passionate about advancing biomedical research through innovative software engineering and Al techniques, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity to join our team and contribute to the development of the groundbreaking CHARM framework.

Salary Range: $77,640 - $126,170

This position is located onsite in Birmingham, AL.

Qualifications

Master's degree in a related field OR Bachelor's degree in related field and two (2) years of related experience. Work experience may NOT substitute for education requirement.

Preferred:

• Strong programming skills in languages such as Python and JavaScript

• Experience with software development best practices, including version control (e.g., Git), testing, and documentation

• Familiarity with Al techniques, such as machine learning and deep learning

• Knowledge of biomedical data formats, ontologies, and standards (e.g., FHIR, OMOP, Phenopackets)

• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment

• Excellent problem-solving and communication skills

• Experience with functional programming languages such as Racket

• Experience with generative Al models, such as GPT-4 or Claude 3

• Familiarity with knowledge graphs and semantic web technologies (e.g., RDF, OWL, SPARQL)

• Experience with big data processing frameworks, such as Apache Spark or Hadoop

• Knowledge of cloud computing platforms, such as AWS, Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud

• Familiarity with containerization technologies, such as Docker or Kubernetes

• Experience with front-end development technologies, such as React or Angular

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