Bioinformatician (SEO)
3 weeks ago
**Details**:
**Reference number**:
- 256956**Salary**:
- £40,876 - £45,998**Job grade**:
- Senior Executive Officer**Contract type**:
- Fixed Term**Length of employment**:
- 24 months**Type of role**:
- Science
- Other**Working pattern**:
- Full-time**Number of jobs available**:
- 1Contents
Location
About the job
**Benefits**:
Things you need to know
Location
- LondonAbout the job
**Job summary**:
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. NIHR Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs) undertake high quality research that enhances the ability of the UK Health Security Agency to protect the public’s health and minimise the health impact of emergencies.
This post will focus on delivering the objectives of the HPRU GED as set out in its yearly Forward Business Plan, and especially those of its Research Theme 3, Interface and Implementation.
**Job description**:
The postholder will develop bioinformatics and public health informatics for HPRU GED:
- Design and validate bioinformatics tools, pipelines and methods suitable for analysis and comparison of the genome sequences generated at UKHSA and elsewhere.
- Compile, in appropriate databases and formats, complex data arising from whole-genome sequencing (WGS) from a range of pathogens.
- Undertake analysis on data arising from WGS, in particular for the validation of proposed methods and techniques.
- Prepare and present at national and international meetings of reports, posters and publications arising from data.
**Person specification**:
**A - Application**
**I - Interview**
**C - Proof of qualification / membership of professional body**
**T - Test**
**Description**
Essential
Desirable
Assessment
**Qualifications**
Higher degree (i.e., MSc or above) in Bioinformatics or a related discipline
**Ö**
A
**Kn**o**w**ledge and experience**
Application and adaptation of bioinformatics tools to analyse biological data using the UNIX command line
**Ö**
A/I
Experience in the analysis of large molecular datasets (incl. high throughput sequencing data)
**Ö**
A/I
In-depth understanding of the principles of DNA sequence analysis and phylogenetics
**Ö**
A/I
Knowledge of Molecular microbiology and Molecular epidemiology
**Ö**
A/I
Multitasking; time management skills; able to work to deadlines and achieve milestones
**Ö**
A/I
Demonstrated experience of co-ordinating projects in complex and challenging environments
**Ö**
A/I
Understanding of the public sector
**Ö**
A/I
Knowledge of pathogens relevant to HPRU GED
**Ö**
A/I
**Skills / capabilities/ behaviours**
Programming / script writing (eg. Python, bash, R)
**Ö**
A/I
Database management
**Ö**
A/I
Public speaking at national or international meetings
**Ö**
A/I
**Equality and diversity**
An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
I
**Benefits**:
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
**Selection process details**:
To support delivery of the objectives of the HPRU GED as set out in its yearly Forward Business Plan, and especially those of its Research Theme 3, Interface and Implementation, including:
- Liaise with the HPRU GED directors and other scientists involved (especially the Research Theme 3 leads) in order to understand the main goals of the yearly Forward Business Plan and help with their implementation.
- Assist with other bioinformaticians and academics in the HPRU GED and at UKHSA on designing, implementing and validating efficient bioinformatics pipelines suitable for analysis and comparative genomics of relevant pathogen sequences.
- Undertake SNP, recombination and phylogenetic analyses, and analysis of data arising from WGS, including temporal and geographic cluster analysis, characterisation of clones, correlation of genotypic vs. phenotypic characteristics, and others, as needed, in order to validate proposed methods and to generate databases that can be used as unit test data for such methods.
- Assist with the deployment of technologies for the analysis and comparative analysis of high-throughput WGS in all sections of UKHSA, as required by HPRU GED and especially Research Theme 3, including graphical user interfaces and data collection tools to help epidemiologists.
- Prepare reports, posters and publications arising from the work.
- Participate in and contribute to UKHSA meetings and to contribute to the development and implementation of a bioinformatics strategy.
***Selection Process Details**:
**Security Clearance Level Requirement**:
People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard ch
