Bioinformatics Data Engineer

GRAIL is a healthcare company whose mission is to detect cancer early, when it can be cured. GRAIL is focused on alleviating the global burden of cancer by developing pioneering technology to detect and identify multiple deadly cancer types early. The company is using the power of next-generation sequencing, population-scale clinical studies, and state-of-the-art computer science and data science to enhance the scientific understanding of cancer biology, and to develop its multi-cancer early detection blood test. GRAIL is headquartered in Menlo Park, CA with locations in Washington, D.C., North Carolina, and the United Kingdom. GRAIL, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ:ILMN). For more information, please visit www.grail.com.

The Data Science and Biostatistics organization is looking to hire a Bioinformatics Data Engineer (BXDE) to partner with computational, engineering, research, and clinical study teams in providing support and developing data solutions for the GRAIL product pipeline. 

The BXDE will partner with scientists and statisticians to support efficient and accurate capture and transfer of sample information and analysis results through GRAIL’s analysis systems. As such, the BXDE will become proficient in GRAIL’s analysis system architecture, including primarily GRAIL’s LIMS for laboratory data; Electronic Data Capture (EDC) for clinical study data; the Bioinformatics Pipeline for sequence analysis and cancer classification data; and TidyData, the system that aggregates, packages, and serves datasets created from LIMS, EDC, and Pipeline outputs. 

The BXDE will also collaborate with software engineers and scientists to develop and produce analysis-ready datasets for clinical research and product development. The BXDE will develop code and procedures to support dataset generation, perform QC, and solve issues that arise during dataset generation. The BXDE will also collect requirements, develop prototypes, and collaborate on production implementations of new reporting-related features as needed.

The BXDE will learn analysis requirements by reading laboratory protocols, Statistical Analysis Plans, and other analysis planning documents and meeting with scientists, biostatisticians, and other team members. 

Additionally the BXDE may have opportunities to collaborate on statistical analyses and creation of analysis reports and interactive data visualizations.
You will:

• Support GRAIL research by selecting samples for studies according to analysis requirements; by developing and improving sample selection procedures and code; and by implementing new sample selection tools
• Develop and support processes for dataset creation, QC, and transfer
• Develop standards and procedures to improve efficiency of new dataset implementation
• Collect user requirements and develop custom reporting features as well as prototypes for future production reporting features
• Define dataset QC procedures, report templates, and automated reports for streamlined execution of QC procedures
• Maintain data integrity and quality throughout the data lifecycle, including ensuring clinical study-related blinding where appropriate.

Your background should include:

• BS or MS in a scientific field (life science, computer science, engineering, mathematics, statistics, bioinformatics, etc.)
• Experience with basic concepts of molecular biology is required
• Experience with R or Python programming and at least one system-level programming language like Go, Java or C++ is desired
• Experience with SQL development and data warehousing concepts is desired
• Experience with multi-functional collaboration while ensuring data quality and commitment to analysis reproducibility is required
• Excellent interpersonal communication (written and verbal) and organizational skills is required
• Excellent team player with a demonstrated track record of success in a cross-functional team environment is required 
• Consistent commitment to delivering on team goals with a sense of shared urgency is required
• Experience with Amazon Web Services is a plus
• Experience with data visualization and analytics tools is a plus

GRAIL is an Equal Employment Office and Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We will reasonably accommodate all individuals with disabilities so that they can participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Following extensive monitoring, research, consideration of business implications, and advice from internal and external experts, GRAIL has made the decision to require all U.S. employees receive the COVID-19 vaccines as a condition of employment. “Full vaccination” is defined as two weeks after both doses of a two-dose vaccine or two weeks since a single-dose vaccine has been administered. Anyone unable to be vaccinated, either because of a sincerely held religious belief or a medical condition or disability that prevents them from being vaccinated, can request a reasonable accommodation.