Internal Only-Bioinformatics and Genomics Training Development Officer

As part of the Iso-in-a-box programme, the Training Developer will work closely with project partners who develop standardised bioinformatics tools and workflows. The primary goal is to scale up these tools' deployment by creating and delivering professional-level training programs, primarily short courses, to support their adoption in laboratories and research settings across Africa and the UK. These efforts aim to integrate standardised workflows into clinical and public health laboratories, enhancing disease management and public health outcomes.

Key Duties

• Lead the end-to-end development process for training, working with Iso-in-a-box subject matter experts and partners to customise content for professional-level audiences, including research and public health bioinformaticians and end-users.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across various regions to assess and understand training needs, adapting content to meet the requirements of relevant workforce groups.
• Establish working relationships with key contacts, developing appropriate communication links with the University's Schools and outside bodies as required.
• Undertake a variety of administrative tasks to support the department.
• Determine the most suitable delivery methods for training, utilising a variety of formats such as virtual sessions, MOOCs, and in-person workshops to optimize learning outcomes.
• Establish and support communities of practice to encourage continuous learning and collaboration among participants and stakeholders.
• Develop educational resources, collect feedback, and implement improvements to maintain and enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of the courses.

Specific Duties

• Collaborate with Iso-in-a-box project partners and subject matter experts to draft, edit, and finalise training materials for professional audiences, covering topics such as bioinformatics SOPs and sustainable coding practices.
• Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to identify specific training needs, ensuring they are accurately reflected in the course content and delivery approach.
• Evaluate and choose appropriate training delivery formats, adapting content for virtual, in-person, and hybrid sessions based on audience demographics and preferences.
• Tailor training development for the ISO in a box objectives, ensuring the relevant skills development aligns with key outputs (e.g., SOPs) to enable the integration of bioinformatics workflows with clinical and epidemiological data collection for disease management and surveillance.
• Organize and coordinate logistics for training events, including scheduling, resource allocation, and platform setup. Distribute pre-event materials and gather feedback post-event to assess outcomes and improve future sessions.
• Manage educational resources on designated platforms, ensuring accessibility and alignment with best practices. Collaborate with partners to maintain and optimise digital repositories and troubleshoot any technical issues.
• Facilitate online discussion forums and other platforms to promote collaboration and knowledge sharing among participants. Provide guidance and support to participants in applying standardised workflows within their work environments.
• Maintain records of training activities and progress, track participant engagement, and compile summary reports on training impact and outcomes.
• Attend relevant workshops, conferences, and training sessions to stay informed on advancements in bioinformatics standards, tools and training methodologies, ensuring that course content remains current.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Education

• Degree/NVQ 4 in Bioinformatics, Genomics, Public Health, or a related field, or equivalent Professional membership/ experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Substantial experience in developing and delivering training programs, with a focus on bioinformatics and genomics.
• Able to demonstrate professional knowledge/ understanding of bioinformatics and standard guidelines and effective presentation skills, ensuring accurate dissemination to diverse audiences, including health professionals, researchers, and the public.

Customer Service, Communication and Team Working

• Ability to communicate conceptually detailed and complex information effectively and professionally with a wide range of people.
• Proven ability to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders at all levels, demonstrating strong communication skills to foster commitment in collaborations.
• Excellent project management skills, highly organised and able to motivate, manage, and coordinate others (who may be more senior) where necessary.
• Strong communicator with internal and external stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate and sustain commitment in collaborations)

Planning, Analysis and Problem Solving

• Evidence of ability to solve expansive problems using initiative and creativity; identifying and proposing practical solutions and resolving problems with a range of potential outcomes.
• Ability to identify opportunities to develop new initiatives, adjusting work and planning as new projects develop, to engage various audiences and to increase the reach project initiatives
• Evidence of ability to work unsupervised, independently and collaboratively as part of a team, to deadlines and with a close attention to detail; the ability to be proactive, flexible, and adaptable in approach, planning and setting priorities for own work and that of others, while working on different projects simultaneously, and monitoring progress, outcomes and impact

Desirable Criteria

• Detail-oriented, with a strong focus on quality and continuous improvement.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Experience working with capacity building and working in close partnership with scientists globally to deliver outcomes of shared benefit, particularly in the African region
• Strong background in education and training design, development, and delivery, including ISO certification processes and SOP development.

Additional Information

General Duties

• Ensure all activities are conducted with a high standard of confidentiality and adhere to data protection requirements when handling participant information.
• Comply with institutional policies on Health and Safety and Equality and Diversity, ensuring a safe and inclusive training environment.
• Perform additional duties as necessary to support the overall objectives of the Iso-in-a-box programme and ensure the successful execution of educational activities.
• The post holder will be required to be flexible as some training courses are likely to require international travel and/or may require work over weekends.
  
  The post holder will also need be predominantly based at Wellcome Connecting Science, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton CB10 1SA in Cambridge as part of the role, and while some remote working is possible, regular attendance in Cambridge will be required.

Salary Range Min.

33,951

Salary Range Max.

36,636

Job Category

Training

Grade

Grade 5