Day Zero Diagnostics (DZD) is an exciting startup revolutionizing infectious disease diagnostics by leveraging cutting-edge sample prep technologies, whole genome sequencing and machine learning. We are building the next generation of IVDs, able to perform comprehensive bacterial species ID and antimicrobial resistance and susceptibility (AMR/S) profiling in less than 8 hours of sample receipt, without the need for culture.
Our first application is for Sepsis. Sepsis is responsible for about a third of hospital deaths and costs hospitals in the US about $24B annually. Using the current culture-based approach for pathogen ID and AST that takes 2-5 days and has a 40% failure rate, patients with Sepsis are treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics, leading to significant toxicity, higher rates of organ injury, increased risk of C. difficile infection, and contributing to the growth of the antibiotic resistance problem, globally.
By providing an accurate and comprehensive diagnosis within the first cycle of treatment, patients can get appropriate antibiotic therapy for systemic infections such as sepsis, reducing hospital treatment durations and costs while positively impacting patient outcomes.
At DZD, we are passionate about our mission of modernizing infectious diseases diagnosis and treatment. Employees gain experience in a multidisciplinary and fast-paced start-up, and have ample opportunities to acquire new skills, engage with emerging technologies, work closely with our accomplished team, and communicate their results, all while working in a supportive and energetic environment.
Summary
The Associate Bioinformatician will join our Computational Biology team and report directly to a Research Scientist. This person will provide bioinformatics support on R&D projects relating to microbial genomics. Potential projects may include developing bioinformatics pipelines for deployment in MicrohmDB®, our large-scale database of whole genome sequencing data and resistance profiles, or performing bioinformatics analyses that inform updates to Keynome® gAST, our machine learning algorithm used for genomic Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing. This person will have opportunities to work with a world-class database of pathogen genomes and to learn cutting-edge bioinformatics techniques. A strong candidate for this position will be both excited to contribute their knowledge and eager to broaden their skillset to new areas.
Primary Responsibilities
Under the direction of a technical manager, the Associate Bioinformatician will independently carry out the following types of tasks:
- Develop, operate, and maintain bioinformatics pipelines
- Produce meaningful data summaries and visualizations
- Integrate basic data analysis into automated pipelines and analytics dashboards
- Maintain organized, well-tested, version-controlled code and documentation
- Communicate clearly with the team regarding progress and results
- Collaborate effectively with a cross-functional team and key stakeholders
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related quantitative field
- Industry experience is a plus
- Strong data analysis skills
- Fluency in Python (especially PyData stack)
- Good understanding or exposure to software engineering best practices (e.g. git, docker)
- Familiarity with DNA sequencing data (Illumina, MinION), bioinformatics techniques, and microbial genomics is preferred
- Highly motivated and independent
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- Strong written and oral communication skills