Senior Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher-Furman Lab

Computational Biology & Aging / Bioinformatics Core Co-Director

Location: Novato, CA
Position Type: Full-time, onsite required
Salary Range: $125,000–$140,000, depending on experience

About the Opportunity
The Furman Lab at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging invites applications for a Senior Scientist or Postdoctoral Researcher to join a newly initiated, five-year government-funded research program focused on understanding the mechanisms of aging and developing interventions to extend healthspan. This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to large-scale, multi-institutional science at one of the world’s foremost dedicated aging research institutes.

In addition to their research role within the project, the successful candidate will serve as Co-Director of the Buck Institute’s Bioinformatics and Data Science Core, playing a central role in expanding the Core’s capacity, service offerings, and scientific impact across the Institute.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and apply computational pipelines for the analysis of large-scale multi-omics datasets, including genomic, transcriptomic, epigenomic, and proteomic data, in the context of aging research.
• Build and refine integrative models of biological aging using longitudinal cohort and experimental data generated within the project consortium, including AI/ML-based approaches.
• Collaborate closely with experimental and clinical investigators to translate biological questions into rigorous analytical frameworks.
• Contribute to the design of computational strategies for cross-platform data harmonization, quality control, and reproducible analysis.
• Serve as Co-Director of the Bioinformatics and Data Science Core, providing analytical consultation and support to Buck Institute investigators.
• Help define Core priorities and participate in efforts to grow the Core’s scientific and operational capacity.
• Mentor junior trainees and research staff in computational methods and best practices.
• Contribute to manuscripts, grant reports, and presentations disseminating project findings to the broader scientific community.

Qualifications
Senior Scientist Level
Candidates for the Senior Scientist level should have:

• Ph.D. in bioinformatics, computational biology, biostatistics, systems biology, or a related discipline, with substantial postdoctoral or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated record of independent research, as evidenced by peer-reviewed publications in high-quality journals.
• Proven expertise in the analysis of next-generation sequencing data, such as RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, single-cell omics, whole-genome sequencing, or whole-exome sequencing.
• Experience leading or co-leading collaborative research projects and mentoring trainees.

Postdoctoral Researcher Level
Candidates for the Postdoctoral Researcher level should have:

• Ph.D. in bioinformatics, computational biology, biostatistics, or a closely related field, awarded within the past five years or expected imminently.
• Strong analytical foundation with demonstrated proficiency in multi-omics data analysis, including published or preprint research.
• Enthusiasm for developing an independent research program within a collaborative and highly supportive environment.

Required Technical Skills

• Proficiency in one or more scientific programming languages, such as Python or R.
• Fluency with standard bioinformatics toolkits, such as Bioconductor, Seurat, Scanpy, GATK, STAR, or DESeq2.
• Experience training, validating, diagnosing, and fine-tuning machine learning models, preferably multimodal models.
• Familiarity with statistical methods for multi-omics data integration, dimensionality reduction, and biological network analysis.
• Commitment to rigorous, reproducible, versioned, and well-documented computational research practices.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior research experience in aging biology, geroscience, or the analysis of aging-related cohorts or model organism datasets.
• Experience with epigenomic clock methodologies, biological age estimation, or related computational frameworks.
• Experience integrating heterogeneous data, electronic health records, or large clinical datasets.
• Familiarity with multi-step agentic workflows, retrieval-augmented generation, and vector search methods.
• Experience with high-performance computing environments and workflow management systems.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms, such as AWS, Google Cloud, or equivalent, for large-scale data analysis.
• Experience contributing to or directing a bioinformatics core or shared resource facility.

About the Buck Institute
The Buck Institute for Research on Aging is a world leader in aging research, with a mission to end the threat of age-related disease. The Institute brings together scientists from diverse disciplines to understand the biology of aging and translate discoveries into interventions that promote longer, healthier lives.

The Buck Institute is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

To Apply
Interested candidates should submit a curriculum vitae and cover letter briefly describing their research experience, computational expertise, interest in aging biology and the Bioinformatics and Data Science Core Co-Director role.