Principal Scientist, Translational Oncology – Single Cell and Spatial Genomics, Solid Tumors

About the Role

 

We are seeking a Principal Scientist to serve as a translational and strategic leader within our

Oncology research organization. This role sits at the crossroads of reverse translation, biomarker

science, and cutting-edge genomics technology — driving mechanistic insight from the clinic

back into discovery to accelerate and de-risk our oncology pipeline. The ideal candidate brings

deep expertise in cancer biology, a track record of cross-functional leadership in a pharma or

biotech environment, and hands-on experience building and deploying single cell and spatial

omics capabilities.

 

What You'll Do

Discovery & Translational Research Leadership

 Drive discovery and translational projects in collaboration with AI and internal research

teams with a primary focus on integrating scRNA-seq and spatial biology into Natera’s

pipeline.

 Collaborate with external translational teams on building single-cell and spatial biology

workflows into their early phase clinical studies.

 Leverage novel technologies to inform collaborative reverse and forward translation

efforts as well as internal target discovery and validation projects.

 Design and execute lab-based research programs that bridge clinical observations with

mechanistic hypotheses, supporting asset progression and CDP expansion

 

Technology & Capabilities

 Lead and contribute to technology area team focused on single cell genomics and spatial

omics, building out multiomics capabilities to support foundational models and RWD

efforts

 Partner with internal and external collaborators to establish, optimize, and deploy cutting-

edge platforms for translational applications

 Serve as an internal expert and thought leader on emerging genomics technologies

relevant to oncology drug discovery and development

 

Cross-Functional & Strategic Engagement

 Represent translational science on life cycle, RWD, and BioPharma BD teams

 Collaborate with Clinical, Biomarker, Discovery, and Regulatory colleagues to shape

clinical trial design and biomarker plans

 Build and maintain external scientific partnerships and advisory relationships as

appropriate

 

People & Team Development

 Lead and mentor a team of scientists and contractors, with a strong commitment to career

development and scientific growth

 Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture with clear goals and accountability

 

Position Requirements

 Ph.D. in Cancer Biology, Molecular/Cellular Biology, Immunology, Bioengineering, or a

closely related field

 6+ years of experience post-Ph.D. in oncology translational research within biotech or

pharma, including demonstrated growth into senior or principal scientist roles

 Deep scientific expertise in at least one of the following: cancer cell biology, tumor

immunology, cell engineering, or neoantigen biology

 Hands-on experience with single cell genomics, spatial transcriptomics, or multiomics

platforms; experience building or scaling these capabilities in an organizational context is

strongly preferred

 Strong publication and/or patent record reflecting independent scientific contribution

 Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional programs and influencing without

authority across Research, Clinical, and Biomarker teams

 Prior experience managing and mentoring scientists at multiple career stages

 Exceptional scientific communication skills; ability to synthesize complex data and

present compellingly to diverse audiences

About the Role

 

We are seeking a Principal Scientist to serve as a translational and strategic leader within our

Oncology research organization. This role sits at the crossroads of reverse translation, biomarker

science, and cutting-edge genomics technology — driving mechanistic insight from the clinic

back into discovery to accelerate and de-risk our oncology pipeline. The ideal candidate brings

deep expertise in cancer biology, a track record of cross-functional leadership in a pharma or

biotech environment, and hands-on experience building and deploying single cell and spatial

omics capabilities.

 

What You'll Do

Discovery & Translational Research Leadership

 Drive discovery and translational projects in collaboration with AI and internal research

teams with a primary focus on integrating scRNA-seq and spatial biology into Natera’s

pipeline.

 Collaborate with external translational teams on building single-cell and spatial biology

workflows into their early phase clinical studies.

 Leverage novel technologies to inform collaborative reverse and forward translation

efforts as well as internal target discovery and validation projects.

 Design and execute lab-based research programs that bridge clinical observations with

mechanistic hypotheses, supporting asset progression and CDP expansion

 

Technology & Capabilities

 Lead and contribute to technology area team focused on single cell genomics and spatial

omics, building out multiomics capabilities to support foundational models and RWD

efforts

 Partner with internal and external collaborators to establish, optimize, and deploy cutting-

edge platforms for translational applications

 Serve as an internal expert and thought leader on emerging genomics technologies

relevant to oncology drug discovery and development

 

Cross-Functional & Strategic Engagement

 Represent translational science on life cycle, RWD, and BioPharma BD teams

 Collaborate with Clinical, Biomarker, Discovery, and Regulatory colleagues to shape

clinical trial design and biomarker plans

 Build and maintain external scientific partnerships and advisory relationships as

appropriate

 

People & Team Development

 Lead and mentor a team of scientists and contractors, with a strong commitment to career

development and scientific growth

 Foster a collaborative, high-performance team culture with clear goals and accountability

 

Position Requirements

 Ph.D. in Cancer Biology, Molecular/Cellular Biology, Immunology, Bioengineering, or a

closely related field

 6+ years of experience post-Ph.D. in oncology translational research within biotech or

pharma, including demonstrated growth into senior or principal scientist roles

 Deep scientific expertise in at least one of the following: cancer cell biology, tumor

immunology, cell engineering, or neoantigen biology

 Hands-on experience with single cell genomics, spatial transcriptomics, or multiomics

platforms; experience building or scaling these capabilities in an organizational context is

strongly preferred

 Strong publication and/or patent record reflecting independent scientific contribution

 Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional programs and influencing without

authority across Research, Clinical, and Biomarker teams

 Prior experience managing and mentoring scientists at multiple career stages

 Exceptional scientific communication skills; ability to synthesize complex data and

present compellingly to diverse audiences