Machine Learning Scientist

Job description

Machine Learning Scientist – fixed term contract

Samsara Therapeutics

Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom – based on-site and remote

Job Title: Machine Learning Scientist

Samsara Therapeutics is an exciting early-stage drug discovery company based at the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington, Oxford with the goal of developing new therapies in neuroscience, genetic diseases and extending healthy ageing. We have a technology platform that identifies new molecules and mechanisms that induce the process of autophagy. By targeting this fundamental process, rather than a specific disease, we are changing the paradigm of the pharma industry and this is a great chance to be part of it.

Autophagy is the cell’s method for recycling unwanted or damaged proteins. Autophagy induction leads to increased lifespans in all species measured, and has exciting therapeutic effects in many major diseases including neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s Disease, metabolic syndrome, numerous rare genetic disorders and infectious diseases.

Samsara was founded in 2018 and has operations in Oxford, Boston and Paris. We are backed by Apollo Health Ventures, a company builder and investor in longevity, and have world-renowned scientific founders who are leaders in the geroscience and neuroscience field. Our exciting portfolio is growing and we now have a vacancy for an enthusiastic, ambitious and keen-to-learn scientist programmer to take us to the next level of predictivity using our proprietary data. This is a chance to use your programming and AI skills in a cutting edge discovery environment in one of the most interesting therapeutic areas in pharma today.

Job Summary

The Machine Learning Scientist will work closely with the screening team to mine Samsara’s imaging and omics data obtained using our in-house LysoSeeker® platform, by implementing machine learning algorithms and strategies to enable data predictivity. You will be working on cutting-edge science to identify new biological targets and mechanisms from the huge amount of data we are assembling, integrating and mining multi-omic and imaging datasets. You will be joining a highly-motivated, entrepreneurial and friendly team where personal development and work-life balance are at the core of our company values.

Key responsibilities:

• Develop interfaces and tools for various screening tasks interfacing with our high throughput screening group and external collaborators
• Develop AI strategies to mine Samsara’s proprietary data sets
• Develop new strategies for data collection and annotation to feed into and constantly improve our ability to predict target and mechanism
• Interfacing and learning from biology teams to leverage expertise across the company
• Presenting results at internal company meetings and to partners as required
• Supporting patent filings and scientific publications where appropriate

Required Experience:

· A PhD or MSc in a discipline of computational or biological sciences

· Strong expertise in Python coding

· Strong expertise in a range of machine learning and deep learning techniques

· Experience with AWS

· Working knowledge and understanding of bioinformatic approaches and principles

· Ideally you will have experience working within or with laboratory-based teams

· Ability to work as an integral member of a multidisciplinary team

· Good interpersonal skills – ability to work collaboratively and independently

· Ability to draft clearly written documentation and convey information in a concise and easy-to-follow manner

The role can be performed remotely but the ideal candidate will be able to work on-site in Headington, Oxford at least two days a week.

This post is fixed-term for one year in the first instance.

About us:

At Samsara Therapeutics, we offer our employees a flexible, fast-paced and fun environment. We are driven by hiring the best talent who share our values of patient focus, excellence, accountability, integrity, openness and an urgency to deliver.

We are an equal opportunities employer and our ethos is to respect and value people’s differences and to help everyone achieve more at work, as well as in their personal lives, so that they feel proud of the part they play in our success. We strongly believe that taking care of our employees is the right thing to do, so here is what you can expect from us in return:

A complete benefits package that includes:

· Competitive salary

· Enhanced Annual Leave: 6.6 weeks paid holiday per annum (includes bank and public holidays)

· Pension scheme enrolment from day one

· Enhanced Maternity/Paternity Leave

· Private Medical Insurance

· Healthcare Cash plan with dental/vision coverage and Employee Assistance Programme

· Group Life Assurance & Group Critical Illness schemes

· Salary sacrifice schemes

· Other benefits include discounts portal, subsidised meals at work, and frequent company events

Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 12 months

Salary: £45,000.00-£70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Canteen
• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Free parking
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Private medical insurance
• Sick pay
• Work from home

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Supplemental pay types:

• Performance bonus

Education:

• Master's (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Oxford