Principal Scientific Business Analyst (Data Focused)

Role Summary

Principal Scientific Business Analyst (Data Focused) translates business strategies into requirements, documents current and to-be processes, maps data flows across systems, and ensures the development team has clear, testable deliverables. The role collaborates with scientists, laboratory personnel, and technical teams to optimize end-user experience and drive data-driven decision making in a research environment.

Responsibilities

• Translate business strategies, goals, and objectives into requirements
• Document the problem statement and come up with quantifiable business value statements that focus on the problem the business is trying to address
• Document the “as is” and “to be” business processes while identifying, verifying, and documenting clear functional and non-functional requirements using standard methodologies and tools
• Identify different types of data models (conceptual, logical, physical) and map how information systems are connected and the data flow between systems; identify data elements and provide data mapping/dictionaries
• Ensure the development team has clarity on what are the requirements and what needs to be developed
• Maintain the backlog of requests, prioritize work, and manage business stakeholder expectations
• Pursue data quality issues to their root cause and work with the business and IT partners to address issues
• Work with scientists and laboratory personnel to understand their business processes and suggest improvement opportunities to enhance end-user experience
• Partner with research scientists and technical teams to understand and define system goals and technical system requirements; map solutions

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's Degree in a life science and 8 years' experience in computer science or information technology, research, pharmaceutical and/or scientific laboratory environments. MS/PhD preferred; may consider equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Preferred: Experience with molecular biology laboratory techniques and bioinformatics methods
• Preferred: Project/Process management experience and the ability to manage and lead software development projects
• Preferred: Understanding of relational database concepts, current IT project and software development life cycle processes and methodologies
• Preferred: Demonstrated ability to interpret and document an extensive variety of scientific and technical processes
• Preferred: Demonstrated ability to perform business analysis and identify and document valid improvement opportunities
• Preferred: Experience in fast changing Research focused environments

Skills

• Knowledge of the principles of data lake and different zones in the data lake
• Knowledge of different databases and can write SQL statements to investigate data
• Familiarity with Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) and research process
• Ability to handle a variety of tasks, effectively solve problems with numerous and complex variables, and shift priorities in a fast paced, ever-changing environment
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, with members of all levels of the organization and interact with technical and scientific personnel
• Demonstrated ability to clearly document requirements and processes, perform business analysis, elicit requirements and identify valid improvement opportunities
• Ability to understand end-user needs and user experience in a science-based research environment
• Attention to detail and a passion for solving complex and interesting problems in a science-driven environment with a strong interest in contributing to biological research
• Is an independent worker who can also work effectively as part of a team, proactively seeks to innovate and is analytical with the desire to measure the effectiveness of new features
• Welcome and respect ideas from partners, business stakeholders and technical experts

Education

• Bachelor's Degree in life science (required); MS/PhD preferred