Senior/Principal Bioinformatician

Senior/Principal Bioinformatician

Full-Time 48000 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
Hlx Life Sciences

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead bioinformatic analyses for drug discovery, collaborating across teams to solve complex biological problems.
  • Company: Join a cutting-edge company focused on innovative drug discovery and patient-centric solutions.
  • Benefits: Enjoy hybrid work flexibility, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: This role requires 3 days on-site each week, fostering collaboration and innovation.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in cancer research while working in a supportive and inclusive environment.
  • Qualifications: PhD in bioinformatics or related field, with experience in cancer biology and programming skills.

The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.

We are looking for a driven and experienced Senior or Principal Bioinformatician to lead the design and execution of bioinformatic analyses that support a variety of drug discovery initiatives. The role involves leveraging both public and proprietary large-scale patient, genomic, and functional datasets to guide and inform the company’s drug discovery priorities.

Key Responsibilities

  • Provide innovative solutions to complex biological problems to gain new insights into multiple aspects of drug discovery.
  • Collaborate with colleagues across the company to translate business needs into high value analysis in a timely fashion.
  • Work as a team to exploit and expand the data science infrastructure to meet business needs in a rapidly evolving environment.
  • Expand and maintain internal bioinformatic tools.
  • Work to achieve scientific deliverables and milestones at agreed quality and timescales.
  • Identify and mitigate risks as they emerge.
  • Establish appropriate communication with line manager, project team members and other stakeholders to ensure they are kept informed of workloads, issues, progress, results, innovation and developments.
  • Actively demonstrate best practice and behaviours to create a positive, productive and inclusive working environment.
  • Communicate analytical products and outputs to stakeholders.
  • Seek input and feedback from internal and external stakeholders about their requirements and prioritize your workload.
  • Interact with the Leadership team, project teams and external collaborators to aid in the delivery of projects.
  • Contribute to the general duties of the company and pass on skills and knowledge to other team members.

Skills Required

  • Essential:
    • A PhD in bioinformatics, pharmacology, molecular biology or related scientific discipline and/or experience in bioinformatics gained in academia or industry.
    • Knowledge of cancer biology, cancer genomics, or cancer therapeutics.
    • Experience of using bioinformatics tools to guide drug development in areas such as biomarker identification, patient selection, mechanisms of action and resistance.
    • A track record of developing analytical solutions to complex biological problems.
    • Advanced knowledge of programming in Python or similar.
    • Experience in the integration, analysis and functional interpretation of omics experiments/datasets (transcriptomics, proteomics, CRISPR).
    • Experience using statistical testing, including hypothesis testing and power analysis.
  • Desirable for Senior Role, Essential for Principal Role:
    • Experience in the analysis of large-scale genomic and functional genomic datasets through the use of automated workflows.
    • Experience in analysis of clinical data analysis.
    • Experience with cloud computing and software containerization.
  • Desirable:
    • Knowledge of current software development methodologies e.g. Scrum/Agile, CI/CD, Concurrent Version Systems (e.g. Git).
    • Previous experience developing, deploying and maintaining software tools.
    • Previous experience of developing, deploying and/or maintaining web user interfaces and/or REST APIs.

This is a hybrid role that requires 3 days on-site per week.

Hlx Life Sciences

Contact Details:

Hlx Life Sciences Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Senior/Principal Bioinformatician

Tip Number 1

Network with professionals in the bioinformatics field, especially those who have experience in drug discovery. Attend relevant conferences or webinars to meet potential colleagues and learn about the latest trends and technologies in the industry.

Tip Number 2

Familiarise yourself with the specific bioinformatics tools and programming languages mentioned in the job description, such as Python. Consider working on personal projects or contributing to open-source projects to showcase your skills and understanding of these tools.

Tip Number 3

Prepare to discuss your previous experiences in developing analytical solutions for complex biological problems. Be ready to provide examples of how you've successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams to achieve project goals.

Tip Number 4

Stay updated on the latest advancements in cancer biology and genomics. This knowledge will not only help you during interviews but also demonstrate your genuine interest in the field and the company's mission.

We think you need these skills to ace Senior/Principal Bioinformatician

PhD in bioinformatics, pharmacology, molecular biology or related scientific discipline
Knowledge of cancer biology, cancer genomics, or cancer therapeutics
Experience using bioinformatics tools for drug development
Track record of developing analytical solutions to complex biological problems
Advanced programming skills in Python or similar languages
Integration and analysis of omics datasets (transcriptomics, proteomics, CRISPR)
Statistical testing expertise, including hypothesis testing and power analysis

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in bioinformatics, particularly any work related to drug discovery, cancer biology, and the use of bioinformatics tools. Use specific examples to demonstrate your skills and achievements.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Write a cover letter that clearly outlines your motivation for applying to this role. Discuss how your background aligns with the key responsibilities and skills required, and mention any specific projects or experiences that showcase your expertise.

Highlight Technical Skills:Emphasise your programming skills, especially in Python, and any experience you have with omics datasets, statistical testing, and cloud computing. Be specific about the tools and methodologies you are familiar with.

Showcase Collaboration Experience:Since the role involves collaboration across teams, include examples of past teamwork and how you effectively communicated complex analyses to stakeholders. This will demonstrate your ability to work in a hybrid environment and contribute positively to the company culture.

How to prepare for a job interview at Hlx Life Sciences

Showcase Your Technical Expertise

Be prepared to discuss your experience with bioinformatics tools and programming languages, particularly Python. Highlight specific projects where you've developed analytical solutions to complex biological problems, as this will demonstrate your capability to contribute effectively to drug discovery initiatives.

Demonstrate Collaborative Skills

Since the role involves working closely with colleagues across various teams, be ready to share examples of how you've successfully collaborated in the past. Discuss how you translated business needs into high-value analyses and how you maintained communication with stakeholders throughout the process.

Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills in real-world scenarios. Think about challenges you've faced in previous roles, particularly those related to cancer biology or genomics, and how you approached them. This will help illustrate your ability to innovate and mitigate risks.

Communicate Clearly and Effectively

As you'll need to communicate analytical products and outputs to various stakeholders, practice explaining complex concepts in a clear and concise manner. Be ready to discuss how you seek feedback and prioritise workloads based on stakeholder requirements, showcasing your organisational skills.