Senior Scientist II, Statistical Genetics
Cytokinetics
Summary
We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled statistical geneticist to join our growing team. You will play a critical role in discovering and evaluating therapeutic targets for diseases involving impaired cardiac and skeletal muscle function. You will lead hands-on research using large human cohorts, sequencing data and rich phenotypes to connect genetic variation with disease biology and therapeutic opportunities.
Job description
This role requires a strong foundation in statistical genetics, applied AI/ML experience, and a passion for translating genetic insights into clinical applications.
Responsibilities
- Perform common and rare variant association studies and meta-analyses across biobanks (e.g., UK Biobank, All of Us, FinnGen) to discover and replicate associations across diverse ancestries
- Develop quantitative and longitudinal phenotypes from EHR and imaging (e.g., cardiac MRI, DEXA) using AI/ML methods to better capture disease biology
- Apply fine-mapping, colocalization, Mendelian randomization and burden methods, including protein language model-based variant prioritization, to identify causal genes and direction of effect
- Prioritize targets using genetic evidence for efficacy and safety (e.g., PheWAS, allelic series, protective variants) and partner with experimental teams on validation
- Build reproducible pipelines on research analysis platforms, and present findings internally, at conferences and in publications
Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Statistical Genetics, Human Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or a related field with 4+ years of post-doctoral or industry experience
- Strong expertise in analyzing large-scale genomic datasets, including GWAS and sequencing data
- Demonstrated experience translating genetic associations into candidate therapeutic hypotheses or targets
- Experience with multidimensional and longitudinal data analysis in biology or medicine
- Proficiency in R and/or Python, with experience applying and critically evaluating statistical and ML methods
- Track record of independent research (e.g., first-author publications, methods, software) and strong communication skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud) and biobank research analysis platforms (e.g., UKB RAP, All of Us Workbench)
- Experience with machine learning and deep learning methods, and strong interest in applying these methods to biological problems
- Previous therapeutic area experience in cardiovascular and neuromuscular disease is strongly desired
- Experience using AI-assisted coding tools in reproducible workflows
Requirements
- Ph.D. in Statistical Genetics, Human Genetics, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or a related field
- 4+ years of post-doctoral or industry experience
- Strong expertise in analyzing large-scale genomic datasets, including GWAS and sequencing data
- Demonstrated experience translating genetic associations into candidate therapeutic hypotheses or targets
- Experience with multidimensional and longitudinal data analysis in biology or medicine
- Proficiency in R and/or Python
- Experience applying and critically evaluating statistical and ML methods
- Track record of independent research (e.g., first-author publications, methods, software)
- Strong communication skills
Benefits
- Stock options
- Restricted stock units
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- 401(k) matching
- Learning stipends
- Wellness stipends
- Paid time off
Company overview
Cytokinetics, Incorporated is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South San Francisco, California, specializing in muscle biology research and drug development. Founded in 1997 by leading scientists from Stanford, UCSD, and UCSF, the company focuses on discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class muscle activators and next-in-class muscle inhibitors for debilitating diseases characterized by impaired or declining muscle function. With over 25 years of scientific expertise, Cytokinetics has built a robust pipeline targeting cardiovascular and neuromuscular conditions including heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The company's innovative approach centers on directly targeting the sarcomere, the fundamental unit of muscle contraction, to develop potential treatments that may preserve and extend independence for patients. Cytokinetics operates as a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: CYTK) and has established itself as a leader in muscle biology with more than 115 publications, over 100 clinical trials, and hundreds of issued patents.