We are seeking a mid-level Data Scientist – Applied Genomics to support our mission of delivering biological innovations that improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. In this role, you’ll apply bioinformatics and data science expertise to microbial and possibly plant genomics, with a strong emphasis on building robust, scalable pipelines and generating actionable insights from diverse biological datasets. 

This is a hands-on role ideal for someone who enjoys problem-solving across disciplines, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and is excited about working at the cutting edge of applied microbial and plant biology. 

Key Responsibilities 

  • Analyze genomic, metagenomic, and transcriptomic data to support R&D and product development efforts. 

  • Develop and maintain reproducible, production-grade bioinformatics pipelines (e.g., Snakemake, Nextflow, or custom Python/R scripts). 

  • Support microbial isolate characterization (e.g., taxonomic classification, genome assembly, annotation, pangenomics, and functional profiling). 

  • Interpret microbial ecology and host-microbe interaction data in the context of agricultural outcomes. 

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including microbiologists, molecular biologists, field scientists, and formulation experts—to translate data into biological insights and commercial value. 

  • Operate within a cloud environment (Azure preferred, but AWS or GCP acceptable) to enable scalable computation and data management. 

  • Follow best practices for version control, documentation, and reproducibility across projects. 

Qualifications 

  • M.S. or Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Microbial Ecology, Microbiology, Plant Pathology, or a related discipline. 

  • 3–6 years of industry or academic experience applying bioinformatics to microbial or plant genomics. 

  • Proficient in Python and/or R for statistical analysis, scripting, and data visualization. 

  • Experience building and deploying data pipelines for genomic workflows (e.g., QC, assembly, annotation, metagenomics). 

  • Familiarity with microbial genome databases, annotation tools, and community analysis frameworks (e.g., GTDB, etc) 

  • Solid understanding of cloud computing and containerization (Docker; Azure preferred). 

  • Excellent organizational, documentation, and communication skills. 

Competencies: 

  • Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs workflows and procedures. 

  • Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics. 

  • Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others. 

  • Balances team and individual responsibilities; Exhibits objectivity and openness to others' views; Gives and welcomes feedback; Contributes to building a positive team spirit; Puts success of team above own interests; Able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; Supports everyone's efforts to succeed. 

Bonus Experience (Preferred but Not Required) 

  • Applied experience in agricultural microbiology, biologicals, or plant-microbe-pathogen interactions. 

  • Use of workflow orchestration tools (e.g., Azure Data Factory, Airflow, Cromwell/WDL). 

  • Knowledge of database management, secure data handling, and FAIR data principles. 

  • Experimental design and statistical analysis 

Why Join Us? 

  • Play a key role in advancing biological solutions for agriculture. 

  • Work with a passionate, cross-functional team that values data integrity, innovation, and impact. 

  • Join a company where your expertise in applied genomics directly influences product development and real-world outcomes. 

About Jord BioScience: Jord BioScience, founded on research from the University of Minnesota, is a science and analytics company developing cutting-edge microbial technologies to enhance crop productivity and sustainability in agriculture. The company leverages over three decades of research by Dr. Linda Kinkel and her team, who collected thousands of unique soil microbes globally. Jord's proprietary technology and custom formulations are designed to extend product lifecycles, enhance crop performance, and expand market adoption of microbial solutions. From product concept through commercialization, Jord BioScience fast-tracks novel product development, reducing discovery from years to less than 10 months. This approach maximizes value and results in today's competitive marketplace. The company is currently conducting product development trials in the U.S., Argentina, and Brazil.

This job is currently not open for applications. Would you like to see our other open positions?