Principal Scientist - Data Insights & Hypothesis Design

As a Principal Scientist on the Data Insights and Hypothesis Design team, you will ensure the scientific coherence of Tempus' multimodal data platform while bridging the gap between complex molecular science and scalable data engineering.

This position requires strong computational, statistical, and translational research skills, alongside a deep interest in reproducible science and artificial intelligence. You will serve as a cornerstone for expanding our multi-modal applications beyond our foundational oncology roots, actively spearheading scientific efforts to support emerging, large-scale datasets in neurology (Alzheimer's disease) and Immunology & Inflammation (I&I)., * Data Evaluation & Prototyping: Conduct rigorous data evaluations, write technical code (SQL, R, Python), and prototype new data offerings within the Tempus Data Model (TDM). Deliver implementation-ready table and column specifications to seamlessly transition initial concepts into scalable, production-grade offerings.

• Client Alignment & Scientific Advisory: Translate complex client research objectives across the drug discovery and development lifecycle into actionable clinico-genomic data strategies. Ensure seamless alignment between client hypotheses and Tempus capabilities, effectively matching the right datasets to their specific research needs and guiding how to best leverage them.
• Cross-Functional Subject Matter Expertise: Serve as a core scientific authority across the organization. Evaluate datasets, perform User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and build data insight reports and capability demonstrations that empower various teams with scientifically validated evidence.
• Cross-Domain Data Oversight: Support the continuous growth and scaling of Tempus' expanding clinical-genomic footprint across diverse disease domains, with an active focus on neurology and Immunology. Bring a holistic, cross-disciplinary view of human biology to profile and validate terabyte-scale datasets, leveraging a proven track record of scientific agility to seamlessly adapt, uncover novel biological patterns, and extract meaningful findings across varying disease areas.

• Education & Experience: PhD in a quantitative, NGS-related discipline (e.g., Computational Biology, Genetics, Bioinformatics, Systems Biology) with 6+ years of industry experience across precision medicine, translational research, scientific product development, or related commercial and operational areas.

• Domain Expertise: Deep expertise in at least one of oncology, neurology, or immunology. Additionally strong, demonstrable experience analyzing large-scale clinico-genomic datasets across multiple disease areas.

• Data Engineering & Scale Architecture: Proven experience collaborating directly with data engineering and platform teams to build large-scale relational databases, design advanced SQL data models, and support the robust infrastructure needed to create and deploy massive, production-grade models.

• Emerging AI & Foundational Modeling Knowledge: Active, up-to-date expertise with cutting-edge computational modeling, including experience leveraging foundation models, generative AI architectures, and agentic workflows to interpret and navigate complex biological data.

• Multi-Omic & NGS Modalities: Deep expertise executing multi-omic analyses across a diverse spectrum of high-throughput sequencing applications and biotechnologies, including specialized NGS modalities such as single-cell sequencing, immunomics, metagenomics, and varied sequencing platforms.

• Translational Impact: Proven experience bringing data to market and translating scientific analyses into production-grade data products or clinical-facing solutions.

• Programming: Proficiency in Python and/or R for reproducible scientific analysis, workflow development, and data visualization.

• Strategic Leadership: Strong cross-functional communication skills with the ability to architect end-to-end execution plans, manage client expectations, and mentor technical peers through structured delegation.

Tempus was founded in August of 2015 by Eric Lefkofsky, after his wife was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Shortly after he founded the company in an effort to bring the power of technology and artificial intelligence to cancer care, he convinced Ryan Fukushima to join as the company's first employee. Ryan and Eric began assembling a world class team, focused on building the first version of a platform capable of ingesting real time healthcare data in an effort to personalize diagnostics. We built the platform for oncology and have expanded it to neuropsychiatry, cardiology, infectious disease (through COVID), and radiology. Despite our rapid growth, our mission remains the same-to help make sure patients are on the right drug at the right time, so they can live longer and healthier lives.