Hirezar Summary for South African Applicants

This fully remote contract position at micro1 is open worldwide, so South Africans can apply. The estimated monthly salary is R133,200 – R266,400 ZAR. This role is suited for mid-level professionals. As a remote position, you can work from anywhere in South Africa — whether you're based in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, or a smaller town.

Job Description

Job Title:STEM Expert – Biology & Bioinformatics (PhD)

Job Type:Contractor

Location:Remote(Worldwide)

Job Summary:In this role, you’ll apply your expertise to help train next-generation AI systems. Your work will shape how models learn, reason, and perform through high-quality, real-world input.

Key Responsibilities:
* Design, evaluate, and critique biology, bioinformatics, and computational biology workflows to support AI benchmarking initiatives.
* Provide expert-level insights on genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and other biological data analysis pipelines.
* Assess and optimize pipeline parameters, tool configurations, and statistical methods for accuracy and reproducibility.
* Analyze biological datasets (e.g., NGS, RNA-seq, single-cell, variant calling, protein structure) and provide actionable recommendations.
* Leverage domain knowledge to guide the development and validation of biology-related AI models and tools.
* Communicate complex scientific concepts clearly, both in writing and verbally, to technical and non-technical collaborators.
* Document findings, methodologies, and best practices to ensure knowledge transfer across the customer’s team.
Areas of Expertise (we welcome applicants from any of the following):
* Genomics & NGS analysis
* Transcriptomics & single-cell analysis
* Proteomics & structural biology
* Molecular & cell biology
* Systems biology & biological network analysis
* Drug discovery & computational pharmacology
* Biostatistics & machine learning applied to biology

Required Skills and Qualifications:
* PhD in biology, bioinformatics, computational biology, genomics, or a closely related STEM field, or equivalent industry/research experience.
* Professional written and spoken English (C1 or higher).
* Deep expertise in at least one of the areas listed above, with hands-on experience analyzing real biological data.
* Proficiency in Python and/or R for scientific analysis, plus experience with standard tools in your subfield (e.g., BLAST, samtools, GATK, Bioconductor, Biopython).
* Strong statistical, quantitative, and analytical reasoning skills.
* Outstanding written and verbal communication abilities, with the ability to clearly document and explain technical concepts.
* Track record of rigorous scientific problem-solving in complex biological domains.

Preferred Qualifications:
* Experience building reproducible workflows (Nextflow, Snakemake) and working in Linux/command-line environments.
* Experience with AI/ML-assisted biology workflows or benchmarking.
* Peer-reviewed publications, patents, or contributions to open-source bioinformatics software.
Originally posted onHimalayas

Tips for South African Applicants

Timezone Advantage

South Africa (SAST, UTC+2) overlaps well with European business hours and has a few hours of overlap with US East Coast. Mention your timezone flexibility in your application.

Salary in Context

At R133,200/month, this role pays well above the average South African remote salary. The USD equivalent ($45/mo) benefits from the favourable exchange rate.

Application Tips

Tailor your CV to international standards — use a clean format, highlight remote work experience, and include your English proficiency. Many SA applicants succeed by emphasising their strong work ethic and cultural adaptability.

Load Shedding Preparedness

If you're applying for a remote role, having a backup power solution (UPS, inverter, or generator) and mobile data as a backup internet connection shows employers you're prepared for South Africa's infrastructure challenges.

About micro1

micro1 is a company in the marketing industry that hires remote workers from South Africa. They currently have 53 open positions on Hirezar. View all micro1 jobs →