Samantha Cooper

About Samantha Cooper

Deeply multidisciplinary background in software development, bioinformatics, molecular biology, physics * 8 years of direct experience in lab software, including the interface with automation, molecular biology, and regulatory* 10+ years of industry experience * Able to communicate and work effectively across multiple groups* Both team and project management experience

Experience

1. Director, Lab Software Systems Engineering

   GRAIL

   Jul 2021 — Present · Menlo Park, CA, US

   At GRAIL, I lead software systems engineering for a fully automated platform running a complex molecular assay. I worked closely with cross-functional teams—including Automation, Assay Development, Quality, Process Engineering, and Clinical Operations—to guide the software effort from early prototyping through launch and post-launch improvements.A key part of my role was anticipating future needs of the platform, often months or years ahead of implementation, and before hardware or operator workflows were finalized. I helped shape the software strategy and guided development toward a system that would meet evolving lab and business requirements.I planned software deliverables to match the needs of each program stage, balancing technical constraints with operational goals. Over the course of a multi-year program, our software was responsible for just a single one-day delay—reflecting careful coordination and close collaboration across teams.What sets me apart:* I bring a broad technical background across software engineering, molecular biology, lab automation, bioinformatics, and clinical operations.* I prefer leading interdisciplinary projects over managing traditional software teams—especially when success depends on bridging gaps between domains.* I work comfortably at multiple levels: defining high-level direction while digging into detailed technical or workflow issues as needed.

Education

• University of California, San Francisco

  Ph.D., Bioinformatics

  2004 — 2009

• University of California, Berkeley

  BA, Physics

  1991 — 1997

Skills

• Molecular Biology
• Sequencing
• Life Sciences
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (Pcr)
• Statistics
• Perl
• Genetics
• Java
• Qpcr
• Chip-Seq
• Assay Development
• Pcr
• Biotechnology
• C++
• Dna Sequencing
• Methylseq
• R
• Unix Shell Scripting
• Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Qpcr)
• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology
• Genomics