Computational Bioinformatics Intern, SA

Position: Computational Bioinformatics Intern

Position Type: 12 month internship 

Department: Computational Biology

Location: Cape Town

Education: MSc degree in Bioinformatics or relevant degree 

Watchmaker Genomics is a global life science company based in Boulder, Colorado with an R&D and Production facility in Cape Town, South Africa. Our team is passionate about innovation and values collaboration, creativity, and scientific rigor. We believe that the intersection of biology, engineering, and computer science presents exciting opportunities for developing novel technologies that promote research and improve human health. Watchmaker Genomics specializes in the design, development, and production of DNA- and RNA-modifying enzymes that enable high-growth applications in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and personalized medicine.

Position Description:

Watchmaker Genomics is seeking a Computational Bioinformatics Intern, to join our Computational Bioinformatics team for 12 months , onsite in our Cape Town office. 

The successful candidate will thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced working environment and contribute directly to our company culture and success. This position reports to the Cape Town Computational Biology Team Lead. 

Responsibilities

• Supporting routine bioinformatics analyses across active R&D projects


• Contributing to the development and maintenance of internal bioinformatics tools and automation


• Data wrangling, transformation, and quality assessment


• Working with established pipelines to process and manage sequencing data


• Perform, and report back on, assigned research of novel tooling and algorithms

Skills and Requirements

• Proficiency in Python, R or equivalent scripting language and working in a Linux environment


• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work as an effective member of a goal-oriented team


• Excellent organizational skills and outstanding attention to detail


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Advantageous

• A basic understanding of molecular biology techniques such as PCR and sequencing library preparation


• Familiarity with common genomics tools (e.g. samtools, bedtools)


• Exposure to protein structure analysis, molecular dynamics, or computational protein engineering


• Experience with containerisation technologies such as Docker


• Experience with AWS infrastructure


• Experience with workflow management frameworks such as Nextflow or Snakemake

Education and Experience

• MSc degree in Bioinformatics or relevant degree

Application Requirements 

To apply for the position, please submit the following in a PDF format on watchmakergenomics.com: 

• Letter of motivation (upload where it says cover letter)


• Resume or Curriculum vitae, highlighting relevant qualifications and experience

Applications without a Letter of Motivation will not be considered. Applicants must be South African or be eligible to work in South Africa and already possess the necessary work permits or visas, or be able to obtain them before responding to this vacancy.

To ensure your application is considered, please submit it by Monday, 4 May 2026. Please note that this position may close earlier if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

If selected to participate in the interview process, the names and contact information of three professional references who are able to assess your suitability for the position in terms of the specified requirements will be requested. We will also request a current payslip.

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NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE

We are only accepting direct applications for this position. We are not working with external recruiters or agencies at this time. Unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from third-party recruiters will not be considered and will be deemed the property of Watchmaker Genomics

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SOUTH AFRICA - WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

Watchmaker Genomics is committed to being an equal opportunity employer and creating a culturally diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, or veteran status or any other characteristics as protected by applicable law.

All applicants will be asked if they are currently eligible to work in South Africa.  South African citizens are preferred.

This position may be subject to pre-employment checks, including driving history check, drug screening and a background check for any convictions directly related to its duties and responsibilities. All pre-employment checks will comply with all applicable laws.

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