Executive Director, Head of Bioinformatics - Janux Therapeutics
Janux Therapeutics is seeking a seasoned leader to build, lead, and scale a best-in-class bioinformatics and computational biology function. This role supports the company’s discovery, translational, and clinical development programs across oncology and immunology.
The Opportunity
This is a hands-on scientific leadership role for a leader who operates as both a strategist and a technical expert. You will define Janux’s bioinformatics vision, own multi-omic and computational strategies from discovery through early clinical development, and serve as a key scientific partner across Research, Translational Medicine, Biometrics, and Clinical Development.
Essential Functions
Strategy & Leadership
- Vision & Governance: Define and own the bioinformatics strategy; represent the function in senior-level portfolio and platform-level strategy discussions.
- Advisory: Serve as a key scientific advisor to program teams, influencing strategy from discovery through clinical proof-of-concept.
- Standards: Establish scientific, technical, and data quality standards to support regulatory-grade analyses.
- Narrative Building: Translate complex computational results into clear scientific narratives for internal governance, executive leadership, and external audiences.
Technical Execution & Implementation
- High-Dimensional Analysis: Lead hands-on and/or directed analysis of complex clinical datasets (e.g., ctDNA, CTCs, flow cytometry, PK/ADA/NAb, tissue-based RNA/IHC, and imaging data like PET/CT RECIST 1.1).
- Pipeline Development: Develop and oversee the maintenance of scalable, reproducible bioinformatics dashboards and analytical frameworks.
- Methodology: Implement computational strategies for data mining using advanced statistical and machine learning methodologies.
- Operations: Ensure bioinformatics deliverables meet project timelines, including data integrity, traceability, and documentation.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Integration: Partner with IT, Translational Medicine, Research, and Clinical teams to design hypothesis-driven biomarker analyses.
- Relationships: Foster strong collaborative relationships across functions and with external collaborators.
What You'll Bring
- Education: Ph.D. (or equivalent) in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Biostatistics, Genomics, Computer Science, or a related discipline.
- Experience: 10+ years of biotech or pharmaceutical industry experience with progressive leadership responsibility and a proven record of scientific impact.
- Therapeutic Focus: Demonstrated experience supporting translational/clinical programs, preferably in oncology, immunology, or cell & gene therapy.
- Technical Skills: Strong proficiency in programming (Python, R) and experience with reproducible research practices, data visualization, and modern analytical workflows.
- AI/ML Proficiency: Proven experience evaluating and applying data science, machine learning, and AI methods in biological and clinical contexts.
- Communication: Ability to bridge computation and biology, translating complex analyses into actionable insights.
