Role Overview
As Bioinformatics Specialist (Plant & Algal Genomics), you are the development lead and go-to-expert for Plant & Algal Genomics at Holzer Scientific Consulting. In your role, you design and implement end-to-end computational pipelines for long-read sequencing data (Nanopore, PacBio), including workflow orchestration, custom bioinformatics tooling, and user-friendly visualisation interfaces and have project management responsibility in your field.
Your role will be part of an Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA)-funded project. As R&D Creator in ARIA’s Synthetic Plants programme based in Holzer Scientific Consulting, you will join a multinational consortium, addressing complex biological challenges during the development of programmable plastid genomes. As such you will predominantly focus on chloroplast genomics, streamlining the routine analysis of genetic variations. Operating at the intersection of plant and algal research, you will play a key role in delivering customised data analysis to our collaborators ensuring they have access to best-in-class bioinformatic tools and the required genomic insights to achieve their scientific aims.
Duties & Responsibilities
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Analyse and manage high throughput sequencing data, including those from short- and predominantly long-read DNA sequencing
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Consult with collaborators about their biological inquires and deliver high-quality insights to clients from academia and industry
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Comprehend complex molecular biology and genetics concepts and translate them into bioinformatics solutions
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Develop and optimise pipelines for routine long-read sequencing analysis
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Collaborate with peer software engineers, wet-lab scientists, and collaborators to develop and deliver customised cutting-edge solutions for academia and commercial software products
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Create user-friendly interfaces and software solutions, making complex sequencing data accessible and understandable to wet-lab scientists
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Work on data processing, databases and custom scripts and combine them into complete software applications and packages
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Take responsibility for project management and reporting
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Supervise and train other team members
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Contribute to scientific publications, conference presentations and fairs
Your profile
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PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or related fields
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Experienced in long-read sequencing technologies and a strong knowledge in plant and/or algal genomics
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Proven scientific track record with demonstrated experience in building and delivering NGS/TGS data analysis pipelines or cross platform software applications
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Well-versed in software development and deployment using GitHub, Nextflow, and Docker, ensuring reproducibility and scalability
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Strong programming skills and proficiency in Python, R, and Bash, with experience in high-performance computing (Slurm, Kubernetes)
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Profound in data visualisation techniques (Plotly, Matplotlib, ggplot2)
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Experience in genome assembly and annotation, comparative genomics, as well as variant calling
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Outstanding problem-solving and teamwork skills while also possessing the ability to work independently and take responsibility
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Attention to detail and excellent oral and written communication in English
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Inner thrive to keep learning and developing in a fast-paced startup environment
Additional skills that are a plus
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Research experience in other areas such as human- or metagenomics
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Experience in teaching and training in bioinformatics/biotechnology
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Practical experience in an industrial or clinical setting
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General interest in nutrition, sustainability and environmental health
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Experience in one or several of the below named tools/areas:
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Other coding languages (JavaScript, Java, …)
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Cloud Computing services (Azure, AWS, …)
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Database Management (SQL, MongoDB, …)
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General Back-end, Front-end or Full-stack Development
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Benefits
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Full-time position with career growth opportunities (initially limited to 18 months)
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Competitive salary aligned with your experience
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Flexible working hours with hybrid work options
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Outstanding collaborative co-working environment in one of Germany’s most thriving start-up ecosystems
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Work on high impact genomics projects that contribute to science, health, and sustainability
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Enjoy a high level of self-management and plenty of professional and personal development options
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Collaborate with international collaborators, incl. leading world-class researchers, renowned institutes, and biotech innovators on meaningful projects
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Enjoy a collegial work atmosphere with the freedom to integrate your own ideas
How to Apply
Submit the following documents to career@holzerscientific.com:
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A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position
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Curriculum vitae / Resume
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Two professional references including name, address, email address and phone number
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Any additional information that might be favourable for your application (e.g. links to previous projects, publications, etc. )
THE TEAM YOU'D JOIN
We are a dynamic and innovative German biotech startup, located in the vibrant start-up ecosystem of Saarbrücken (Saarland), focusing on expert consulting and innovative product development in the field of long-read sequencing and bioinformatics. Our mission is to make advanced genomics more broadly accessible, empowering researchers worldwide with user-friendly cutting-edge bioinformatics services and products.
At Holzer Scientific we believe in the power of third-generation sequencing technology and together with our collaborators and clients push the boundaries of life sciences. We actively translate research into practice and drive scientific innovation, with a particular focus on real-time genomics and metagenomics, advancing solutions that support human health and environmental sustainability. As we grow, we are looking for talented, highly motivated experts to join our team and shape the future of applied long-read sequencing.