Bioinformatics Specialist (Plant & Algal Genomics)

About Us:

We are a dynamic and innovative German genomics 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 are building a future in which third-generation sequencing transforms how we understand biology, diagnose disease, protect our environment, and improve lives. Together with our collaborators and clients, we push the boundaries of what is possible, translating cutting-edge research into practical solutions with real-world impact. With a particular focus on real-time genomics and metagenomics, we drive scientific innovation to advance human health and environmental sustainability. As we grow, we are looking for talented, highly motivated experts to join our team.

Role Overview:

We are looking for an exceptional, highly motivated scientist to join our fast-paced startup team. The ideal candidate combines scientific excellence and outstanding technical skills with a highly collaborative mindset and a strong desire to build, innovate, and grow with the company.

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 streamlined computational pipelines for long-read sequencing data, including workflow orchestration, custom bioinformatics tooling, and user-friendly visualisation interfaces, conduct a range of sequencing analyses and assume project management responsibility within your specialist 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 work alongside a multidisciplinary team of world-class scientists to address complex biological questions and develop programmable plastid genomes. The project aims to tackle global challenges by equipping crops with high-value traits that advance human health, sustainable agriculture, and biomanufacturing.

You will focus primarily on chloroplast genomics, streamlining the routine analysis of genetic and transcriptomic data, including genome assembly and annotation, variant analysis, gene expression, and regulation. Working at the intersection of plant and algal research, you will play a key role in providing customised data analyses for our collaborators. You will ensure that they have access to best-in-class bioinformatics tools and the genomic insights needed to achieve their ambitious scientific goals.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Consult with collaborators about their biological inquires and deliver high-quality insights to partner from academia and industry​
• Comprehend complex molecular biology and genetics concepts and translate them into bioinformatics solutions​
• Analyse and manage high throughput sequencing data, including those from short- and predominantly long-read sequencing​
• Develop and optimise modern analysis pipelines for routine lab workflows
• Create user-friendly interfaces and software solutions, making complex sequencing data accessible and understandable to wet-lab scientists​​
• Collaborate with peer software engineers, wet-lab scientists, and partners to deliver cutting-edge software solutions for research in academia and industry
• Take responsibility for project management, documentation and reporting
• Supervise and train students
• Contribute to scientific publications, conference presentations and fairs

Your profile:

• A PhD in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science or related field
• Experience in long-read sequencing technologies and knowledge in plant and/or algal genomics
• Proven scientific track record with demonstrated experience in building and delivering NGS/TGS data analysis pipelines or cross platform software applications
• Well-versed in software development and deployment using GitHub, Nextflow, and Docker, ensuring reproducibility and scalability
• Excellent programming skills and proficiency in Python and Bash, with experience in high-performance computing (Slurm, Kubernetes)
• Profound in data visualisation techniques (Plotly, Matplotlib, ggplot2)
• Experience in genome assembly and annotation, comparative genomics, as well as variant calling
• Outstanding problem-solving and teamwork skills while also possessing the ability to work independently and take responsibility
• Attention to detail and excellent oral and written communication in English
• Inner thrive to keep learning and developing in a fast-paced startup environment

Additional skills that are a plus:

• Research experience in other areas such as human- or metagenomics 
• Experience in teaching and training in bioinformatics/biotechnology
• Practical experience in an industrial or clinical setting​​
• Experience in one or several of the below named tools/areas: 
• Other coding languages (JavaScript, Java, …)
• Cloud Computing services (AWS, Azure…)
• Database Management (SQL, MongoDB, …)
• General Back-end, Front-end or Full-stack Development

Benefits:

• Full-time position with career growth opportunities (initially limited to 18 months)
• Competitive salary aligned with your experience
• Flexible working hours with hybrid work options (up to 2 days remote work per week)
• 30 days of paid annual leave, because doing your best work requires time to rest and recharge
• Outstanding collaborative co-working environment in one of Germany’s most thriving start-up ecosystems
• Dynamic and highly collaborative team with flat hierarchies, open communication and the freedom to integrate your own ideas
• High impact genomics projects that directly contribute to science, health, and sustainability​
• Work with international collaborators, incl. leading world-class researchers, renowned institutes, and biotech innovators on meaningful projects
• High level of self-management and plenty of professional and personal development options​

How to Apply:

Submit the following documents to <correo electrónico eliminado por motivos de seguridade>. Applications via email only!

• A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position
• Curriculum vitae / Resume
• Two professional references including name, address, email address and phone number
• Supporting materials showcasing your bioinformatics and coding expertise (e.g. links to your workflows, projects, publications, etc. )