Senior or Principal Scientist of Human Genetics

The Position

About us: Computational Innovation @ Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim is seeking a talented and experienced Senior or Principal Scientist in Human Genetics to join the Disease Genetics team within Global Human Genetics in Biberach. The role will focus on our cardio-renal-metabolic (CRM) portfolio and help translate population-scale genetic evidence into decisions across discovery and development.

The ideal candidate combines deep CRM disease biology with strong statistical genetics expertise and extensive experience analysing biobank-scale, clinical, and longitudinal datasets. You will use human genetics to identify and prioritise therapeutic concepts, clarify mechanisms of action, support indication strategy, and develop translational and patient-stratification hypotheses.

You have demonstrated success applying genetics in an industrial or translational research setting. You are comfortable integrating common- and rare-variant evidence with multidimensional datasets, including GWAS, QTL, omics, clinical phenotypes, and real-world or longitudinal data.

You are a driven, collaborative scientist who can move from rigorous analysis to a clear recommendation. Your insights and scientific leadership will directly influence target, indication, safety, and biomarker decisions across the CRM portfolio.

Discover our Biberach site: xplorebiberach.com

This position can be filled either as Senior Scientist or Principal Scientist.
This position has a hybrid setup with approximately 2-3 days per week on site.
This position is part time eligible with 80 %.

Tasks & responsibilities

• In your new role, you will drive human-genetics support for CRM discovery and portfolio projects, using population-scale biobanks, clinical cohorts, summary statistics, and longitudinal data to generate decision-relevant evidence.
• You will identify and prioritize genetically supported targets and indications, and deliver robust genetics packages for key portfolio milestones, including Candidate Selection
• Furthermore, you will apply state-of-the-art methods including GWAS and PheWAS, fine-mapping, colocalisation, Mendelian randomisation, rare-variant analysis, polygenic risk scores, and time-to-event analysis.
• You will integrate genetic evidence with molecular QTL, transcriptomic, proteomic, single-cell, and other functional data to characterise causal genes, cell types, mechanisms, and disease subtypes.
• Moreover, you will translate findings into clear recommendations for therapeutic concept, mechanism-of-action, indication, safety, and prognostic or predictive biomarker decisions.
• You will partner closely with CRM therapeutic area, experimental, clinical, translational, data engineering, and computational colleagues in a matrix environment.
• In addition, you will lead cross-functional Human Genetics initiatives, communicate complex evidence to senior stakeholders, and establish strategic external collaborations to strengthen CRM genetics data, methodologies, disease expertise, and shared standards, workflows, and products.

Additional tasks for the Principal Scientist role

• As Principal Scientist, you will independently define and drive the human-genetics approaches for complex CRM portfolio questions, translating strategic priorities into an integrated plan with limited day-to-day direction.
• You will own the most complex and ambiguous genetics workstreams from problem framing through portfolio decision, integrating evidence across targets, indications, mechanisms, biomarkers, and safety while managing scientific trade-offs.
• Furthermore, you will act as a senior scientific authority for Human Genetics in cross-functional governance and portfolio forums, influencing senior stakeholders and representing the function in high-impact internal and external collaborations.
• You will set scientific quality standards, critically review genetics analyses and decision packages, and establish scalable methods, workflows, and AI-enabled approaches.
• Additionally, you will provide scientific leadership and coaching to Senior Scientists and other colleagues, including defining work packages, reviewing conclusions, and supporting their development toward greater independence.

Requirements

• PhD in Statistical Genetics, Genetic Epidemiology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related field
• Post-PhD industry experience in disease translation within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology environment
• Strong human-genetics expertise demonstrated through successful disease translation applications and a proven track record of delivering value to drug discovery or development
• In-depth knowledge of cardio-renal-metabolic disease biology, with experience in one or more areas such as cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, obesity, diabetes, liver disease, or related metabolic disorders
• Experience analysing biobank-scale and longitudinal datasets and applying relevant statistical genetics methods to target, indication, biomarker, or patient-segmentation questions as well as extensive statistical computing and programming experience, with demonstrated proficiency in relevant languages such as R or Python and reproducible analysis practices
• Strong collaborator and communicator with proven ability to influence scientific and portfolio decisions in a matrix environment
• Demonstrated project leadership, prioritisation, and stakeholder-management skills in cross-functional teams, with proficiency in using AI-assisted tools or methods to accelerate, automate, or improve genetic analysis workflows is a plus

Additional requirements for the Principal Scientist role

• Several years of post-PhD industry experience in disease translation within a pharmaceutical or biotechnology environment
• Demonstrated ability to independently set scientific direction and prioritise across multiple complex portfolio needs, including decisions where evidence is incomplete or conflicting
• Proven track record of leading complex, cross-functional programmes from problem framing through decision, with accountability for scientific quality, timelines, and stakeholder alignment
• Recognised scientific authority in human genetics or a closely related field, with the credibility to challenge assumptions, resolve trade-offs, and influence senior therapeutic-area and portfolio stakeholders
• Experience setting analytical standards, reviewing or approving work from others, and building reproducible and scalable workflows for broader team use
• Demonstrated experience mentoring scientists and strengthening team capability through coaching, scientific review, and knowledge sharing

As part of our commitment to transparency and fairness, salary information will be shared during the recruitment process. We also offer a comprehensive benefits and wellbeing package.

Applications from persons with severe disabilities are warmly welcomed. In cases of equal qualifications, such applicants will be given preferential consideration in the selection process. 

Ready to contact us?

If you have any questions about the job posting or process - please contact our HR Direct Team, Tel: +49 (0) 6132 77-3330 or via mail: hr.de@boehringer-ingelheim.com

Recruitment process:

Step 1: Online application - The job posting is presumably online October 12, 2026.
Step 2: Virtual meeting in the period from mid till end of October 2026.
Step 3: On-site interviews beginning of November 2026

Please submit your application documents in English.