Translational Medical Scientist

Company: Natera
Location: San Carlos
Posted on: February 16, 2026

Job Description:

Job Description Job Description Role Summary The Scientist, Translational Medicine (TMED) is a strategic and analytically driven research leader who leverages multi-omic, genomic, and real-world clinical data to advance precision medicine. This role integrates expertise in oncology, molecular genomics, computational analysis, and biomarker science to design, execute, and interpret translational research programs that directly influence clinical development, evidence generation, product strategy, and regulatory submissions across the Oncology and Early Cancer Detection business units. The TMED Scientist serves as a scientific owner and subject matter expert across cross-functional programs, driving Natera's external scientific impact and contributing to the advancement of translational oncology. Key Responsibilities Advanced Analytics & Scientific Leadership Design, lead, and execute complex genomic, clinical, and multi-omic analyses addressing high-impact scientific and clinical questions in oncology and early cancer detection. Develop, optimize, and implement scalable analytical pipelines that integrate raw, structured, and unstructured data into robust analytical frameworks. Engineer, benchmark, and validate predictive and inferential models for clinical interpretation, patient stratification, biomarker discovery, and translational insights. Conduct multi-layered genomic and clinical analyses to investigate biological mechanisms, treatment response dynamics, and disease progression. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Research Strategy Partner with molecular biologists, computational scientists, statisticians, clinicians, Medical Affairs, and R&D to design and drive end-to-end translational research strategies. Contribute to and support scientific components of external collaborations with academic institutions, biotechnology companies, and pharmaceutical partners. Translate clinical, scientific, and market needs into rigorous research plans, study designs, and technical specifications that inform future Oncology and Early Cancer Detection products. Support evidence-generation strategies that inform product development, regulatory submissions, payer engagement, and scientific differentiation. Scientific Communication & External Impact Synthesize complex analytical findings into clear, actionable insights for internal scientific, clinical, product, and executive stakeholders. Collaborate on the development of manuscripts, abstracts, posters, and presentations for high-impact journals and scientific conferences. Represent Natera as a scientific contributor in oncology genomics, biomarker development, and multi-omic data integration. Innovation, Emerging Technologies & Industry Awareness Evaluate emerging biomarkers, computational methods, datasets, and assay technologies to inform future research directions and product roadmaps. Maintain awareness of competitive biomarker platforms (e.g., ctDNA, MRD, CGP, IHC) and analytical approaches across the oncology landscape. Data Stewardship & Compliance Work with protected health information (PHI) using secure systems in compliance with HIPAA, data privacy regulations, and internal security policies. Complete and maintain all required training related to HIPAA/PHI, compliance, and data security within required timelines. Must pass a post-offer criminal background check. Qualifications Education PhD in Molecular Biology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, Oncology, Cancer Biology, Genetics, or a closely related discipline. Scientific & Domain Expertise Strong scientific foundation in cancer biology, clinical oncology, molecular genomics, and biomarker research. Solid understanding of genomic sequencing and analysis techniques (e.g., NGS, alignment and variant-calling pipelines, assay QC, and analytical performance benchmarking). Experience applying statistical and analytical methods to biomarker evaluation, including survival analysis, hypothesis testing, and clinical trial interpretation. Technical Skills Proficiency in R and/or Python, including scientific computing and visualization libraries (e.g., ggplot2, data.table, Bioconductor; pandas, NumPy, matplotlib, statsmodels, scikit-learn). Strong SQL skills for querying and manipulating large-scale relational clinical and genomic datasets. Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git) and modern data/analysis workflows is a plus. Biomarker & Product Experience Experience with clinical application and optimization of biomarker technologies (e.g., ctDNA, MRD, comprehensive genomic profiling, IHC), with an understanding of competitive landscapes and assay differentiation. Leadership & Communication Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment while managing multiple priorities. Demonstrated solution-oriented approach to identifying and addressing analytical or strategic risks. Strong attention to detail and a commitment to high-quality, accurate scientific output. Proven ability to work effectively on both collaborative and independent projects. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills with a collaborative, team-oriented mindset. Our Opportunity Driven by a passion for elevating the science and utility of genetic testing, Natera is committed to helping families identify and manage genetic diseases. Natera is a rapidly growing diagnostics company with proprietary bioinformatics and molecular technologies for DNA analysis. Our technology has been clinically and commercially validated in the prenatal testing space, and we are actively expanding its application in liquid biopsy and oncology. Our team includes statisticians, geneticists, clinicians, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers, and other experts from world-class institutions who care deeply about our work and each other. At Natera, you'll work hard, grow quickly, and contribute to innovations that are reshaping the landscape of genetic disease management. For more information, visit www.natera.com . Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. The pay range is listed and actual compensation packages are based on a wide array of factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, years & depth of experience, certifications and specific office location. This may differ in other locations due to cost of labor considerations. Remote USA $108,000—$135,000 USD OUR OPPORTUNITY Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing, dedicated to oncology, women's health, and organ health. Our aim is to make personalized genetic testing and diagnostics part of the standard of care to protect health and enable earlier and more targeted interventions that lead to longer, healthier lives. The Natera team consists of highly dedicated statisticians, geneticists, doctors, laboratory scientists, business professionals, software engineers and many other professionals from world-class institutions, who care deeply for our work and each other. When you join Natera, you'll work hard and grow quickly. Working alongside the elite of the industry, you'll be stretched and challenged, and take pride in being part of a company that is changing the landscape of genetic disease management. WHAT WE OFFER Competitive Benefits - Employee benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life and disability plans for eligible employees and their dependents. Additionally, Natera employees and their immediate families receive free testing in addition to fertility care benefits. Other benefits include pregnancy and baby bonding leave, 401k benefits, commuter benefits and much more. We also offer a generous employee referral program! For more information, visit www.natera.com. Natera is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to ensuring a diverse and inclusive workplace environment, and welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities and perspectives. Inclusive collaboration benefits our employees, our community and our patients, and is critical to our mission of changing the management of disease worldwide. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, age, veteran status, disability or any other legally protected status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable laws. If you are based in California, we encourage you to read this important information for California residents. Link: https://www.natera.com/notice -of-data-collection-california-residents/ Please be advised that Natera will reach out to candidates with a @natera.com email domain ONLY. Email communications from all other domain names are not from Natera or its employees and are fraudulent. Natera does not request interviews via text messages and does not ask for personal information until a candidate has engaged with the company and has spoken to a recruiter and the hiring team. Natera takes cyber crimes seriously, and will collaborate with law enforcement authorities to prosecute any related cyber crimes. For more information: - BBB announcement on job scams - FBI Cyber Crime resource page

Keywords: Natera, San Bruno , Translational Medical Scientist, Science, Research & Development , San Carlos, California