[Hiring] Director / Senior Director, In Silico Data Operations @Violet Research Institute

Role Description

Our data infrastructure is growing faster than our ability to govern it. We need someone who thinks in systems, speaks the language of computational biology, and can build the standards, tooling, and team structure that lets our science scale without breaking. This role owns our in silico and data operations:

• How assay data flows from raw output to structured insight.
• How our bioinformatics team is organized and directed.
• How we evaluate, implement, and scale platforms like Benchling.

This role is fully remote and open to candidates anywhere in the United States. You will report to an East Coast–based leader and work closely with our existing bioinformatics team. Over time, as trust is established, this role will take on direct management of data scientists on the team.

What You'll Own

• LIMS ownership: own the path forward for our current LIMS implementation — either fixing it or evaluating and leading a replacement (Benchling, Dotmatics, or comparable).
• Data infrastructure and standards: direct the bioinformatics team to execute against repeatable formats for raw assay data, ASO design files, in vitro and in vivo readouts, and CRO deliverables.
• Decision and program tracking systems: establish a single source of truth for project tracking from a data and decision infrastructure perspective.
• AI-native workflows: build and maintain AI-assisted pipelines for data analysis, literature synthesis, and scientific decision support.
• Bioinformatics team direction: work closely with bioinformaticians and manage data scientists to ensure computational outputs meet scientific and operational standards.
• CRO data quality: own the incoming data QC process for computational and omics deliverables; escalate and remediate when vendor outputs fail standards.
• Close partnership with the Wet Lab Scientific Operations Director to keep experimental and computational programs in sync.

Goals for the First 90 Days

• Audit the current data infrastructure across various programs and produce a clear, written assessment of gaps and recommendations.
• Define the raw-data standard for assay outputs and have it adopted across at least two CROs and internal workflows.
• Deliver a written recommendation on the LIMS — fix in place or replace with Benchling (or comparable) — with implementation plan and timeline.
• Stand up a program tracker and decision log that the founder, lead scientist, and senior advisors actually use.
• Establish a working relationship with the bioinformatics team and identify any gaps in tooling, documentation, or workflow standards.

Qualifications

• PhD in computational biology, bioinformatics, biostatistics, computer science, or a closely related field.
• 7+ years in computational biology, bioinformatics, or data science within a drug discovery or biotech context.
• Hands-on experience building and owning data infrastructure in a small, resource-constrained organization.
• Comfort with nucleic acid sequence design and navigating sequence design space (ASO, siRNA, or related modalities).
• Fluency with cloud data platforms (GCP, AWS) and bioinformatics workflow tools.
• Native AI user — you build with AI, not around it; tools like Claude, Copilot, or equivalent are a daily part of how you work.
• Experience evaluating or deploying scientific data management platforms (Benchling, Dotmatics, or comparable).
• Track record of building operational systems and standards from scratch.
• Comfort directing senior PhD scientists without being one.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience integrating wet lab and dry lab experiments into a coherent pipeline.
• Experience with oligonucleotide, siRNA, or gene therapy program data.
• Prior management or formal mentorship of data scientists or bioinformaticians.
• Familiarity with regulatory data requirements in a preclinical-to-IND context.
• Experience inside a small biotech, founder-led nonprofit, or intensely mission-driven organization.
• Working knowledge of bDNA / QuantiGene, ddPCR, or qPCR data artifacts in nucleic acid quantification.

Behavioral Essentials

• Execute independently from loosely specified tasks.
• Ask for help only when truly blocked, communicating clearly what's needed.
• Thrive in early-stage, ambiguous, high-pace environments.
• Mission-driven with genuine care for patient impact.