Data Scientist (PhD)

At Caris, we understand that cancer is an ugly word—a word no one wants to hear, but one that connects us all. That’s why we’re not just transforming cancer care—we’re changing lives.

We introduced precision medicine to the world and built an industry around the idea that every patient deserves answers as unique as their DNA. Backed by cutting-edge molecular science and AI, we ask ourselves every day: “What would I do if this patient were my mom?” That question drives everything we do.

But our mission doesn’t stop with cancer. We're pushing the frontiers of medicine and leading a revolution in healthcare—driven by innovation, compassion, and purpose.

Join us in our mission to improve the human condition across multiple diseases. If you're passionate about meaningful work and want to be part of something bigger than yourself, Caris is where your impact begins.

Position Summary

Caris Life Sciences is seeking a Data Scientist to join our Computational Pathology team. This role will focus on data preparation, integration, exploratory analyses, hypothesis-driven research, and scientific writing, playing a key role in generating high-quality datasets and insights for research publications, abstracts, and presentations.

The ideal candidate will be a hands-on data scientist with a strong analytical mindset, capable of working with complex biomedical datasets and translating findings into impactful scientific outputs. This position is perfect for someone passionate about precision medicine and cancer research, with a desire to contribute directly to high-profile publications and studies.

Job Responsibilities

Data Preparation & Management

• Extract, clean, and integrate data from diverse sources, including histopathology, molecular, and clinical datasets.
• Build efficient queries and data pipelines to support research studies, modeling, and publication efforts.
• Validate data quality and maintain documentation for reproducibility and regulatory requirements.
  
  

Exploratory Data Analysis & Reporting

• Perform exploratory analyses to identify patterns, generate hypotheses, and guide design and discovery research.
• Generate descriptive statistics, summary tables, and visualizations for internal use and external publications.
• Provide timely ad hoc analyses and reporting for cross-functional teams and collaborators.
  
  

Hypothesis-Driven Data Analysis

• Collaborate with scientists and clinicians to design studies guided by specific research questions.
• Formulate testable hypotheses based on prior data, literature, and exploratory findings.
• Develop analytic plans to evaluate hypotheses using appropriate statistical and computational methods.
• Interpret results in the context of clinical and biological relevance.
• Provide actionable insights that inform experimental design, model development, and publication strategy.
  
  

Scientific Writing & Publication Support

• Collaborate with scientists and clinicians to draft and edit manuscripts, abstracts, and conference presentations.
• Prepare clear documentation of study methodology, datasets, and analytic workflows.
• Develop figures, tables, and supplementary materials for peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences.
• Ensure publications meet the standards of high-impact journals and scientific rigor.
  
  

Collaboration & Cross-Functional Support

• Partner with statisticians, data scientists, and researchers to define data needs and resolve data-related issues.
• Communicate findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Contribute to the overall scientific strategy by providing data-driven insights.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Data Science, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Statistics, Biology, or related field with exposure to cancer biology or biomedical research.
• 1 – 3 years’ experience in data science.
• Strong analytical skills and experience working with large, complex datasets.
• Proficiency in Python or R for data manipulation, analysis, and visualization.
• Experience with SQL and working with relational databases.
• Excellent written communication skills, with demonstrated experience drafting or contributing to manuscripts, abstracts, or technical reports.
• Ability to think critically about data and study design to generate robust and reproducible results.
• Strong collaboration and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Word, Excel, Outlook, and general working knowledge of Internet for business use.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in oncology, precision medicine, or translational research.
• Experience preparing datasets for statistical modeling or AI-based analyses.
• Familiarity with whole slide images (WSIs) or other medical imaging data.
• Knowledge of cloud computing platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Track record of contributions to peer-reviewed publications or conference presentations.
  
  

Physical Demands

• Primarily computer-based work, with collaboration through in-person meetings or remote conferencing.
  
  

Training

• All job-specific, safety, and compliance training will be provided based on assigned responsibilities.
  
  

Other

• Occasional after-hours response may be required to meet project deadlines.
• Limited travel may be required for conferences or collaborative meetings.
  
  

Conditions of Employment: Individual must successfully complete pre-employment process, which includes criminal background check, drug screening, credit check ( applicable for certain positions) and reference verification.

This job description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Caris Life Sciences is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, among other things, or status as a qualified individual with disability.