Senior Data Scientist, CompBio
Insitro· startup· Biotechnology· Aug 28, 2026 · 2mo ago
South San Francisco, CA
In office
Full-time
Senior
$183K–$194K
3+ years exp
Job description
THE OPPORTUNITY
State-of-the-art technologies that measure multiple cellular aspects of in vitro biology are at the heart of insitro's efforts to accelerate drug development. Computational biology is key to elucidating the relationship between these phenotypes and human disease and translating them into actionable outcomes.
We are looking for a computational biologist with expertise across diverse data modalities, including deep experience in either omics or imaging readouts, a strong understanding of cell and disease biology, and fluency with state-of-the-art analysis techniques. Your expertise will help the team navigate the complexities of identifying therapeutic targets from diverse data, elucidating biological mechanisms, and championing a culture of statistical rigor and experimental design to ensure our analyses meet the highest scientific standards.
In this role, you will directly impact target prioritization and drug development efforts, advance our understanding of diseases, and aid the development of new treatments. You will be part of a cross-functional team of life scientists, data scientists, bioengineers, software engineers, and machine learning scientists who strive to identify therapeutic targets and develop drugs of high efficacy and low toxicity. Based in South San Francisco, this position reports directly to the Head of Computational Biology and ML-Omics and offers an in-person hybrid schedule of three days per week.
You will be joining a vibrant biotech startup with many opportunities for significant impact. You will work closely with a highly talented team, learn a broad range of skills, and help shape insitro's culture, strategic direction, and outcomes. Join us, and help make a difference to patients!
RESPONSIBILITIES
Multimodal Analysis & Target Discovery
- Synthesize Multimodal Insights: Draw insights from multimodal analyses (microscopy, spatial proteomics, bulk/single-cell RNA-seq, human cohort data) to uncover disease mechanisms and generate therapeutic hypotheses
- Identify Therapeutic Targets: Analyze diverse data from disease-relevant in vitro models to identify potential therapeutic targets from perturbation screens
- Discover Biomarkers: Analyze data from diverse sources to identify and validate potential biomarkers for monitoring disease status and progression
Experimental Partnership
- Partner on Experimental Design: Work with experimental biologists to design, troubleshoot, and optimize experiments that generate and validate mechanistic and therapeutic hypotheses
- Provide Domain Expertise: Bring statistical and computational expertise to guide assay development and the biological interpretation of results
Analytical Rigor & Communication
- Benchmark and Calibrate: Calibrate analysis tools and workflows, define performance metrics, and conduct benchmarking to select fit-for-purpose solutions
- Communicate Findings: Share results with cross-functional stakeholders through reports, visualizations, presentations, and publications
ABOUT YOU
Experience & Qualifications
- Education & Tenure: Ph.D. in computational biology, systems biology, bioengineering, computer science, machine learning, or a related discipline, with 3+ years of working experience post-graduation
- Data Modality Depth: Hands-on experience with diverse data modalities, including at least one of the following: single-cell RNA-seq, fluorescence microscopy, spatial proteomics or transcriptomics, or label-free microscopy
- Statistical Foundation: Deep understanding of statistical modeling and data analysis, with a demonstrated ability to rigorously interpret complex datasets and generate mechanistic hypotheses
- Biological Grounding: An understanding of molecular biology or disease biology (e.g., neurological, cardiovascular, or metabolic disorders)
- Programming Skills: Strong programming ability and proficiency with Python scientific packages such as NumPy and pandas
- Publication Record: Meaningful contributions to high-quality work published in relevant computational biology, systems biology, life sciences, or biomedical venues
Core Competencies
- Collaborative Communicator: You communicate effectively and collaborate well with people of diverse backgrounds and job functions
- Engineering Discipline: You write well-commented code and documentation and are familiar with coding best practices such as version control and code review
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS AT INSITRO
Our target starting salary for successful US-based applicants for this role is $183,000 - $194,000. To determine starting pay, we consider multiple job-related factors including a candidate's skills, education and experience, market demand, business needs, and internal parity. We may also adjust this range in the future based on market data.
This role is eligible for participation in our Annual Performance Bonus Plan (based on company targets by role level and annual company performance) and our Equity Incentive Plan, subject to the terms of those plans and associated policies.
In addition, insitro also provides our employees:
- 401(k) plan with employer matching for contributions
- Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage as well as mental health and well-being support
- Open, flexible vacation policy
- Paid parental leave of at least 16 weeks to support parents who give birth, and 10 weeks for a new parent (inclusive of birth, adoption, fostering, etc)
- Quarterly budget for books and online courses for self-development
- New hire stipend for home office setup
- Monthly cell phone & internet stipend
- Access to free onsite baristas and daily lunch for employees who are either onsite or hybrid
- Access to a free commuter bus network that provides transport to and from our South San Francisco HQ from locations all around the Bay Area
insitro is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion need to be at the foundation of our culture. We work hard to bring together diverse teams–grounded in a wide range of expertise and life experiences–and work even harder to ensure those teams thrive in inclusive, growth-oriented environments supported by equitable company and team practices. All candidates can expect equitable treatment, respect, and fairness throughout the interview process.
#LI-Hybrid
Please be aware of recruitment scams: we never request payments, all recruitment communications are from @insitro.com insitro.com, and if in doubt, contact us at info@insitro.com.
About insitro
insitro is a drug discovery and development company using machine learning (ML) and data at scale to decode biology for transformative medicines. At the core of insitro’s approach is the convergence of in-house generated multi-modal cellular data and high-content phenotypic human cohort data. We rely on these data to develop ML-driven, predictive disease models that uncover underlying biologic state and elucidate critical drivers of disease. These powerful models rely on extensive biological and computational infrastructure and allow insitro to advance novel targets and patient biomarkers, design therapeutics and inform clinical strategy. insitro is advancing a wholly owned and partnered pipeline of insights and therapeutics in neuroscience and metabolism. Since launching in 2018, insitro has raised over $700 million from top tech, biotech and crossover investors, and from collaborations with pharmaceutical partners. For more information on insitro, please visit www.insitro.com insitro.com.
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Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
Dental
Vision
401(K)
Pto
Parental Leave