Bioinformatician in Norwich

The successful applicant will join a team of bioinformaticians and software engineers to engage in cutting-edge computational analysis of plant- and microbe research data. They will join research projects to conduct bioinformatics components as well as interact with researchers to provide guidance in bioinformatics. Besides project work, the successful applicant will also run courses in the JIC bioinformatics training program that aims to enable staff members and students to conduct their own computational analyses.

Key activities in the project work are primarily Sequence Analysis (Genomics/Transcriptomics), but also Image Analysis and Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence. This role will act as a go-to person for bioinformatic support and work together with all scientific levels within the John Innes Centre. The support ranges from short discussions to major contributions to science projects.

Key Relationships

The Support Bioinformatician will work on-site as part of the JIC Informatics Platform. They will interact regularly with science staff from across the institute, working with individual research groups as well as supporting the wider Institute’s Strategic Programs. In that context, the job holder will also collaborate with international scientists on a regular basis.

Main Activities & Responsibilities

• 40% Work with JIC research groups on scientific projects, providing computational biology expertise throughout the project lifecycle, from grant writing through data analysis to manuscript preparation. This will include guidance on the use of tools and pipelines and interpretation of their results and, where necessary, carrying out analysis directly.
• 30% Train and mentor JIC staff and students in computational biology, through development and delivery of structured courses, as well as informal one-to-one training and peer-to-peer coaching.
• 15% Develop and maintain JIC’s computational infrastructure; Champion and maintain effective data management practices.
• 10% External and internal project acquisition and furthering bioinformatics capabilities at JIC.
• 5% As agreed with line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the post.

Person Profile

Education & Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent in Biology, Physics, Mathematics, Computational Biology, or related discipline — Essential.
• PhD in Biology, Physics, Mathematics or a related discipline — Desirable.

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

• Broad range of expertise in the management and computational analysis of biological data — Essential.
• Ability to understand the key features of biological problems — Essential.
• General problem solving skills — Essential.
• Command line shell skills — Essential.
• Programming skills in an interpreted or compiled language — Essential.
• Background in statistics — Desirable.
• Experience in analysis of high-throughput sequencing data — Essential.
• Experience with bioinformatics methods, techniques and tools — Essential.
• Working in an HPC environment with associated tools (e.g. SLURM scheduler) — Desirable.
• Experience with version control systems such as Git and GitHub — Desirable.
• Experience in plant genomics — Desirable.
• Experience with applying AI-based methods to biological problems — Desirable.

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

• Ability to work independently, managing individual projects through to completion — Essential.
• Ability to interact effectively with scientists to discuss techniques and data, and to present technical concepts clearly — Essential.
• A positive, supportive working style, with enjoyment in helping others succeed — Essential.
• Enthusiastic and self-motivated — Essential.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills — Essential.
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal — Essential.
• Good interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively as part of a team, sharing knowledge and techniques and providing the ability to cover for others — Essential.

Additional Requirements

• Attention to detail — Essential.
• Promotes equality and values diversity — Essential.
• Willingness to embrace the expected values and behaviours of all staff at the Institute, ensuring it is a great place to work — Essential.
• Able to present a positive image of self and the Institute, promoting both the international reputation and public engagement aims of the Institute — Essential.
• Willingness to work outside standard working hours when required — Essential.

Who We Are

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant and microbial genetics, carrying out fundamental and strategic research, to train scientists and making our findings available to society. Our research makes use of a wide range of disciplines in the biological and chemical sciences including; cell biology, biochemistry, chemistry, genetics and molecular biology. We pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive working environment for all. We have a diverse and multicultural scientific community and thrive on our European and international links, appointing staff from across the world.

We are proud to hold a prestigious Athena SWAN Gold award, recognising the impact of our work in promoting gender equality in science. We are also a proud member of the Stonewall Diversity Champion’s programme, a founding signatory of the Technician Commitment and, as a Disability Confident employer, guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.

The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852), limited by guarantee (registered in England No. 511709).

Department

Computational and Systems Biology

The Department of Computational and Systems Biology conducts world-leading research across a broad range of the biological sciences, with a special focus on spatial problems in plant and microbial research. Particular strengths of the department include mathematical and statistical modelling of the physical mechanisms underlying biological pattern formation, transport dynamics, epigenetic processes, size control, biomechanics and gene network dynamics. In addition, the department has strong bioinformatics that underpins the research of the institute through training, software development and statistical analysis. While much of the research is carried out in close collaboration with world-leading experimental groups within the John Innes Centre, we also have strong international collaborations with experimentalists and theoreticians worldwide.

JIC Informatics is a Technology Platform delivering bioinformatics and scientific computing expertise to the John Innes Centre and the wider scientific community. We collaborate on research projects, support staff and students through hands-on project work and individual training, and offer a bioinformatics training programme for scientists at all levels. Through this work, we aim to strengthen bioinformatics and data management practices across JIC and empower research groups to work independently.

Additional information: This role meets the criteria for a visa application, and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply. Please contact the Human Resources Team if you have any questions regarding your application or visa options. We are an equal opportunities employer, actively supporting inclusivity and diversity. As a Disability Confident organisation, we guarantee to offer an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for this vacancy. We are proud to hold a prestigious Gold Athena SWAN award in recognition of our inclusive culture, commitment and good practices towards advancing of gender equality. We offer an exciting, stimulating, diverse research environment and actively promote a family friendly workplace. The Institute is also a member of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions programme. The John Innes Centre is a registered charity (No. 223852) grant-aided by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.