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Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Onsite
The Opportunity
We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented Associate Scientist / Scientist I to join our Computational Test Development team at Precede Biosciences. Reporting to our Senior Director, Computational Test Development, this role is focused on the execution and analysis that underpins our diagnostic assay characterization and validation programs.
This is a hands-on computational role. You will run analyses, build and maintain quality assessment frameworks, execute in silico simulations, and generate the data-driven outputs that feed directly into our regulatory submissions. If you are energized by rigorous data analysis, take pride in clean and reproducible work, and are excited to contribute to diagnostics that could change how cancer is detected and treated, we want to hear from you.
About Us
We are pioneering an advanced, minimally invasive, comprehensive epigenomics platform with the potential to profoundly impact the research and development of new medicines and the use of approved medicines in clinical practice across a number of conditions, including cancer. More information on our company and platform can be found on our company website and in our seminal publication in Nature Medicine.
We care deeply about creating a place where folks can do their best work from the start and have intentionally created an environment that is defined by purpose, teamwork, and excellence. This means nurturing team spirit, facing challenges together, and collaboratively solving complex problems, while also ensuring a strong focus on individual initiative, accountability, and delivery.
Assay Characterization & Validation
Execute data analyses supporting assay characterization across multiple epigenomic and NGS-based diagnostic tests — from raw data processing through performance metric generation
Design and implement quality assessment frameworks to evaluate assay and pipeline performance, including QC metric definition, threshold setting, and failure mode identification
Run and interpret validation experiments in close coordination with wet lab and senior computational team members, contributing to study execution against pre-defined protocols
Pursue defined research questions semi-independently — taking a scoped problem, designing the analytical approach, executing, and returning well-documented results
In Silico Simulation & Thresholding
Design and run in silico simulations to model assay behavior under variable conditions — including signal dropout, coverage non-uniformity, and input DNA variability
Develop and apply statistical approaches to threshold setting and performance boundary definition, supporting limit of detection and analytical range characterization
Systematically explore parameter sensitivity across bioinformatics pipelines to assess model robustness and inform feature selection
Regulatory Support & Communication
Produce clear, thorough documentation of all analyses code, methods, results, and interpretation to the standard required under design controls
Contribute to the authoring of SOPs and analytical summary reports
Partner closely with wet lab scientists to ensure computational analyses are grounded in experimental reality and that results are communicated in accessible, actionable terms
Present analytical findings clearly in team meetings and cross-functional settings
Contribute to a collaborative team environment by sharing code and knowledge openly and proactively
MSc in computational biology, bioinformatics, biostatistics, or a closely related quantitative field with 3–4 years of industry or post-graduate research experience in a data-intensive biological or biomedical setting, Ph.D. preferred
Strong proficiency in R and Python for data analysis, visualization, and reproducible reporting — you write, own, and document your own code
Experience with cloud computing environments (AWS) for running scalable analyses
Demonstrated ability to execute analytical plans with precision and efficiency, managing multiple tasks without a drop in quality or documentation standards
Familiarity with NGS data types and standard processing pipelines — alignment, QC, coverage analysis, or equivalent
Clear and organized communicator — written documentation, results presentations, and cross-functional interactions alike
Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment, following defined protocols while contributing ideas for improvement
Nice to have:
Exposure to regulated environments — CLIA, CAP, FDA IVD, or design controls in any form
Experience with epigenomic data types — methylation, cfDNA, chromatin accessibility, or ChIP-seq
Familiarity with statistical thresholding or limit of detection frameworks for diagnostic applications
Experience contributing to SOPs, validation reports, or other regulated documentation
