Data Scientist

Fondazione Telethon is a leading Italian biomedical charity dedicated to advancing research on rare genetic diseases. Since its founding, it has funded thousands of research projects and supported hundreds of scientists in Italy and abroad. Telethon-backed research has led to internationally recognised breakthroughs, including approved gene therapies for rare diseases. Our mission is to turn excellent science into real therapies, improving the lives of patients and their families.

Can you handle a graph with 10 million nodes and 100 million edges?

If the answer is yes, keep reading.

What you will do

You will collaborate with an agile, multidisciplinary team to design, develop, and iterate on data products. These products primarily support strategic decision-making regarding research project funding and the organisation's scientific communication. You will regularly interact with top-notch gene therapy researchers.

A key aspect of the role is working with state-of-the-art, fast-evolving technologies. You will be expected to quickly acquire new knowledge, experiment with emerging tools and methods, and assess their potential through rapid prototyping and testing.

How we work

We operate in short, outcome-driven iterations, typically moving from idea to MVP within three months. Our approach is strongly product-oriented:

- We maintain a broad project funnel that encourages exploration and experimentation

- We prototype fast and learn quickly

- We deliberately accept the risk of discontinuing initiatives that prove non-sustainable

- Decisions are driven by impact, feasibility, and alignment with our mission

This environment rewards curiosity, pragmatism, and a strong sense of ownership.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Develop data-driven solutions and analytical products from concept to MVP

- Translate complex data and analyses into actionable insights for strategic decision-making

- Communicate effectively with scientific, domain, and business experts

- Actively participate in team discussions, reviews, and continuous improvement cycles

- Explore, test, and evaluate new technologies, methods, and tools

- Maintain high code quality through code reviews, pull requests, and knowledge-sharing practices

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

- Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Bio Informatics or related subject

- 3+ years of experience

- Good handle of Python for data analysis, modelling, and rapid prototyping

- Familiarity with scientific publications and the ability to engage critically with research literature

- A proactive, solution-oriented, can-do attitude

- Ability to work effectively in a team, contribute ideas, and incorporate feedback

Nice to have

- Experience designing and consuming APIs

- Background or strong interest in graph theory and tools (Neo4J, NetworkX)

- Experience with AI agent design

- Experience building data applications with Streamlit or Retool

- Devops experience

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The position is based in Rome or Milan with a 50% remote working routine.

What you can expect

- A vibrant technological environment with real room to experiment and innovate

- A strong, mission-driven organisation where your work has tangible impact

- Challenging technical problems at the intersection of strategy, science, and product development

Thank you for your interest in our organization. Please note that we will only provide feedback to those who are contacted by the Telethon Foundation. We receive a large number of applications and are unable to respond to all of them.

Please also note that only candidates who attach their CV to their application will be considered.