Job Description

JOB TITLE: Sr. Bioinformatics Scientist

POSITION NUMBER: 26825-14209-SRBIOS

POSITION LOCATION: Atlanta, GA, USA

ANTICIPATED START DATE: Two weeks after candidate identification

TRAVEL: As required to fulfill the responsibilities of the position.

Our Applied Bioinformatics Laboratory (ABiL), provides our clients with innovative, cutting-edge bioinformatics solutions to address a diverse set of experimental questions spanning a wide range of applications, as well as workforce development training to quickly enable client staff to implement the novel solutions that we provide and to utilize existing bioinformatics tools and methods to address their research requirements.

Scope of Work

Our ASRT Bioinformatics Team provides a wide range of bioinformatics and training services in support of clients'/collaborator research, molecular epidemiology and molecular surveillance projects, across government, industry and academic institutions. The selected candidate will possess expertise in project management, client relations, bioinformatics including research, development, training and the application of bioinformatics tools to address a diverse set of experimental questions. Specific position responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Management and Client Relations:

• Engage with business development experts to help our bioinformatics team grow from various funding mechanisms such as grants, contract, and collaborative agreements.
• Work directly with ABiL clients to ensure that their particular needs can be translated into specific analysis services to be executed by our bioinformatics team members, and work with our clients to define the specific nature of the analysis deliverables as well as the deliverable timetable.
• Be responsible for ensuring the quality and timeliness of all work performed by ABiL members
• Interface with collaborators, SMEs and industry leaders to ensure project goals are being met.

Personnel/Team Management and Recruiting:

• Provide Leadership to a group of dynamic well-trained bioinformaticians and software developers in order to provide excellent service to our clients
• Be responsible for managing the project work on a day-to-day basis, deciding on their work responsibilities and evaluating their progress.
• Work with company leadership and collaborators to identify, recruit and evaluate potential personnel, including full-time employees, independent contractors and student trainees, who will work in support of the Bioinformatics Team’s mission.
• Directly work with the bioinformatics core analysis team as well as collaborators/trainees working in support of the Bioinformatics Team’s mission.
• Train ABiL team members on the state-of-the art in bioinformatics and genome analysis as it relates to the services provided to the Bioinformatics Team’s clients.

Bioinformatics Research and Development:

• Apply in depth bioinformatics knowledge and expertise to develop cutting edge bioinformatics solutions to address diverse set of experimental questions for a wide range of applications.
• Work with internal and external collaborator to conduct bioinformatics and genomics research, on an as needed basis, in order to support the delivery of services to our clients.
• Work with the internal and external collaborators to help identify additional partners to engage with ABiL clients in support of longer-term research projects that will lead to the development of novel tools and approaches to solve their data challenges.
• Remain informed of the latest developments in the literature and offer innovative and novel solutions to the ABiL team.
• Work with internal and external collaborators and our team members to develop a set of modular, reusable bioinformatics analysis pipeline components that can be rapidly and effectively deployed in order to meet analysis needs of our clients.
• Be primarily responsible for ensuring that pipeline components represent the state-of-the-art in bioinformatics tools, are appropriate for the task at hand and that they can be seamlessly and readily integrated.

Bioinformatics Training:

• As required, function as an SME in the development of traditional and online training resource for ABiL's workforce development training program to (i) clearly and concisely describe bioinformatics theory and the application of bioinformatics tools to address relevant research questions, (ii) demonstrate the use of a wide range of bioinformatics tools and methods, and (iii) demonstrate the use of novel bioinformatics solutions provided to clients.
• Work with identified resources, such as instructional designer, media development expert and collaborators in order to develop, deliver and maintain a series of modular training modules in bioinformatics and genomics. Training modules will be developed in such a way as to provide practical, hands-on training in bioinformatics and genomics at a variety of expertise and knowledge levels, from a basic introduction to bioinformatics and genomics for bench scientist to advanced modules for working bioinformaticians.
• Train and help skills development of collaborators/trainees in support of our mission.

Objectives

• Apply in depth knowledge, experience, innovation and creativity to design and implement bioinformatics solutions to experimental questions related to research areas such as: genome assembly and annotation, metagenomics, cancer genomics, comparative genomics, genome wide association studies, transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, functional genomics, molecular evolution and phylogenetics, molecular epidemiology, genome-based molecular typing and development of novel typing schemes, genotype-to-phenotype analysis, biostatistical analysis, machine learning and high-dimensional clustering analysis, big data and high performance (HPC) and cloud computing, database and web-services development, and next-generation sequence (NGS) data management and analysis.
• Perform quality control, assembly, annotation, and analysis of prokaryotic and eukaryotic whole genome sequences.
• Manage large bacterial genome sequence files and databases to include upload of information to NCBI or similar data banks.
• Effectively and collaboratively function as a member the bioinformatics team to foster the development of innovative bioinformatics methods and cutting-edge solutions.
• Effectively function as an instructor for our workforce development training program to communicate bioinformatics concepts, the application of relevant software packages and analysis methods to address research goals, and the utilization solutions provided by our bioinformatics team.
• Effectively document all work practices.
• This position requires the candidate to maintain high ethical standards in scientific research and development and is expected to abide by established professional norms/standards at all times.
• This position will require engagement with data with varying levels of confidentiality and providence including industry, government and academic sources. Thus, this may require signing and being held to the standards of confidentiality, non-disclosure and intellectual property rights across a variety of professions and interests.
• This position will require interacting with computer networks from a variety of sources and abiding by said Institutions rules and regulations, including those of partners and collaborators.

Requirements

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS and TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Education:

• PhD degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics or Biology with at least 24 semester hours in mathematics, statistics, bioinformatics, or informatics.

Technical Requirements

• Proficiency in the use of various whole genome sequence analysis tools.
• Proficiency in the assembly, analysis, and annotation of genomic data from a variety of sequencing platforms such as Illumina, 454, IonTorrent and PacBio.
• Exceptional written and oral presentation skills and the ability to effectively convey information.

Experience:

• 5-6 years of experience working in the capacity of a bioinformatician where demonstrated solutions to research questions being addressed exist in peer-reviewed publications.

Specific Skills:

Required:

• Demonstrated experience with Unix (BASH scripting).
• Demonstrated experience with the use of a diverse range of bioinformatics software tools for the analysis of NGS data.
• Demonstrated experience with coding in Perl and/or Python.
• Demonstrated experience with relational databases such as MySQL and Microsoft SQL server.
• Demonstrated experience with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) analysis.
• Demonstrated experience leading bioinformatics-focused projects to completion including management of group dynamics and client interactions.
• Expertise in the underlying theory and the application of a wide range of bioinformatics tools.
• Ability to configure and maintain a Unix/Linux bioinformatics computing environment.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, required for working in a fast-paced multidisciplinary team environment, and for extensive interaction with clients and external partners.
• Experience with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft SharePoint.

Desirable:

• Demonstrated bioinformatics teaching experience.
• Prior laboratory work involving the use of bioinformatics analysis tools to address a research question.
• Ability to interface well with audiences of various technical and non-technical backgrounds.
• Interest in helping to build additional opportunities in providing bioinformatic services such as writing grants, manuscripts, white papers, and business proposals.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively provide skill transfer in the use of bioinformatics tools and solutions.
• Demonstrated application of innovation in the solution resulting from bioinformatics analysis of complex questions involving a diverse range of experimental subjects.

Language Skills:

• The candidate must possess excellent oral and written communication skills in English.

REQUIREMENT: Must be a United States citizen or permanent resident or have authorization for employment in the United States.

SALARY: Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

To apply for this position:

• If you are viewing this position on the ASRT Career page, please click on the "Apply" button.
• If you are viewing this position on a site other than the ASRT Career page, you may use the "click to apply" link, or you may apply by visiting our Career page and searching for the job title and position number listed at the top of this job posting.
• To view all of our open positions and to apply to job openings in which you may be interested, please visit our Career page at https://www.asrtinc.com/careers.

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