Director, Bioinformatics and Genomics

Job Description

We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we're not finished yet.

Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.

Job Description

Company Overview

We’re here for one reason and one reason only – to cure cancer. Every moment is dedicated to developing treatments and every action moves us one step closer to our goal. We’ve made incredible scientific breakthroughs and our pioneering personalized CAR T-cell therapies have changed the paradigm. But we’re not finished yet.

Join Kite, as we make even bigger advances in cancer therapies, and help shape where our business and medical science goes next.

We believe every employee deserves a great leader. People Leaders are the cornerstone to the employee experience at Gilead and Kite. As a people leader now or in the future, you are the key driver in evolving our culture and creating an environment where every employee feels included, developed and empowered to fulfil their aspirations. Join Kite and help create more tomorrows.

Job Summary

We are revolutionizing the treatment for cancers through immunotherapy through novel breakthrough technology. We have developed and launched best in class CAR-T therapy Yescarta, currently curing patients from previously intractable b-cell malignancies. We are using our expertise to apply our success to other indications, and you can help!

We are seeking an individual to join our Research organization in Santa Monica or Foster City. Reporting to Bioinformatics & Genomics, you will lead a team in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment to build data-to-knowledge (D2K) pipelines, integrate GenAI into research workflows, and develop models from complex high-dimensional research and clinical datasets. As a leader within the Bioinformatics and Genomics division, you will work closely with discovery research, clinical development, translational medicine, regulatory, CMC analytics, IT/Data Engineering, and product development.

You will use current experimental methodologies in the biological space, including high-throughput genomics and proteomics, as well as predictive modeling with advanced statistical analysis and bioinformatics algorithms. You will synthesize scientific questions into coherent strategies and communicate findings across research functions and to leadership.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead projects in target identification/validation, biomarker strategy by mining and integrating large multi-omics datasets (e.g., TCGA, AC-ICAM, TARGET, GTEx, cBioPortal, dbGaP) together with Kite clinical, in vivo and in vitro data;
• Stand up D2K pipelines and GenAI-enabled knowledge workflows.
• Perform and review high-dimensional analyses (bulk/scRNA-seq/scTCR, spatial transcriptomics, Olink proteomics, metabolomics, flow cytometry, and digital pathology) to characterize the tumor microenvironment (TME), enable molecular phenotyping, and support patient stratification linked to differential outcomes (efficacy, durability, CRS/ICANS).
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to jointly advance the research, development, and improvement of our CAR T-cell pipelines; align analysis plans to program decision points.
• Coordinate deliverables jointly with clinicians, immunologists, molecular biologists, biostatistics, IT/Data Engineering, commercial and other departments; contribute to protocols, SAPs, CSRs, publications, and Health Authority responses.

Basic Qualifications

Doctorate and 8 years of scientific experience

OR

Master’s and 10 years of scientific experience

OR

Bachelor’s and 12 years of scientific experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Immunology, or a closely related field and 5 years of post-doctoral or industry experience, including team leadership.
• Full proficiency in R and/or Python, experience in Linux environments and cloud computing (AWS/Azure/GCP); development of statistical methods and algorithms.
• Proficiency building and maintaining large-scale analysis pipelines (containers, workflow orchestration, CI/CD); operating securely in the cloud.
• Deep knowledge of cancer biology and cancer immunology; familiarity with cell-therapy translational datasets and safety/efficacy biomarkers (CRS/ICANS) is highly desirable.
• Hands-on experience with bioinformatics analysis of NGS and flow cytometry; analysis of bulk and single-cell transcriptomics and spatial data using standard pipelines.
• Strong understanding of statistics and the ability to generate robust predictive models for outcomes in multidimensional data.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills; proactive, self-motivated, and adaptable in a dynamic environment.
• Experience in cancer immunology research as substantiated by first or senior authorship in leading journals.

People Leader Accountabilities:

• Create Inclusion - knowing the business value of diverse teams, modelling inclusion, and embedding the value of diversity in the way they manage their teams.

• Develop Talent - understand the skills, experience, aspirations and potential of their employees and coach them on current performance and future potential. They ensure employees are receiving the feedback and insight needed to grow, develop, and realize their purpose.

• Empower Teams - connect the team to the organization by aligning goals, purpose, organizational objectives and holding to account. They provide the support needed to remove barriers and connect their team to the broader ecosystem.

The salary range for this position is:

Kite considers a variety of factors when determining base compensation, including experience, qualifications, and geographic location. These considerations mean actual compensation will vary. This position may also be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, discretionary stock-based long-term incentives (eligibility may vary based on role), paid time off, and a benefits package. Benefits include company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans*.

For additional benefits information, visit:

https://www.gilead.com/careers/compensation-benefits-and-wellbeing

• Eligible employees may participate in benefit plans, subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans.

Kite is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative cancer immunotherapies with a goal of providing rapid, long-term durable response and eliminating the burden of chronic care. The company is focused on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and T cell receptor (TCR) engineered cell therapies designed to empower the immune system's ability to recognize and kill tumors. Kite is based in Santa Monica, CA.

NOTICE: EMPLOYEE POLYGRAPH PROTECTION ACT
YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT

Kite Pharma will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, (c) consistent with the legal duty to furnish information; or (d) otherwise protected by law.

Our environment respects individual differences and recognizes each employee as an integral member of our company. Our workforce reflects these values and celebrates the individuals who make up our growing team.

Kite Pharma provides a work environment free of harassment and prohibited conduct. We promote and support individual differences and diversity of thoughts and opinion.

For Current Kite Pharma Employees and Contractors:

Please apply via the Internal Career Opportunities portal in Workday.