Assembly and Search Bioinformatician : Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom


Job Description

We are seeking a full- or part-time bioinformatician to join the Data Coordination and Archiving Team at the EMBL European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), located on the Wellcome Genome Campus near Cambridge in the UK. The team provides data coordination services for partners around the world for a portfolio of sequencing based studies. With underlying infrastructure for these services based around the European Nucleotide Archive – one of life science’s largest and longest standing data resources – this is an opportunity to rise to the challenges of ‘big data’ and make contributions that advance the reach and utility of sequence data.

The post holder will contribute to the following two projects:

Application of quality control methods to genome assembly data sets: Funded by the BBSRC, the BlobToolKit project provides state of the art contamination detection software. The post holder will apply this software at scale to legacy and incoming datasets through workflows operating in our cloud compute environment.

Sequence indexes for global surveillance and beyond: The value of searching databases describing known sequence and variation (such as the European Nucleotide Archive; ENA) has been clear for many years. In collaboration with Zamin Iqbal at EMBL-EBI, we are implementing a powerful raw read search method. The postholder will develop workflows to provide this search as a service across comprehensive ENA bacterial read data.

At EMBL-EBI, we help scientists realise the potential of ‘big data’ in biology by enabling them to exploit complex information to make discoveries that benefit mankind. Working for EMBL-EBI gives you an opportunity to apply your skills and energy for the greater good. As part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), we are a non-profit, intergovernmental organisation funded by 22 member states and two associate member states and proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. We are located on the Wellcome Genome Campus near Cambridge in the UK, and our 600 staff are engineers, technicians, scientists and other professionals from all over the world.


Qualifications and Experience

You should hold a university degree in bioinformatics, data science, computer science, or related fields and are expected to have previous experience in bioinformatics, database technologies and biological data analysis. You will have a proven track record of working on large-scale data analysis projects and an understanding of the challenges posed by collaborative projects including flexibility, tight deadlines, and use of state-of-the-art approaches. You may be required to travel. You must be highly motivated and able to work independently. You must be open to working in a production team (willing to conform and contribute to standard working practices) and are expected to have good communication skills, written and verbal, both to facilitate effective communications with other team members and to communicate with external collaborators and users.

You must have strong knowledge in shell scripting (BASH, Python) in a Unix/Linux environment. Experience in Java programming would be very valuable. You will have a solid understanding of distributed programming and a strong knowledge of SQL (Oracle/PostgreSQL/MySQL). Experience with cloud computing and workflow environments will be advantageous.

Experience of administration and deployment of software in cloud-based environments, workflow systems, shared code-bases and practical use of machine learning, is highly desirable.

Benefits

EMBL is an inclusive, equal opportunity employer offering attractive conditions and benefits appropriate to an international research organisation. The remuneration package comprises a competitive salary, a comprehensive pension scheme and health insurance, educational and other family related benefits where applicable, as well as financial support for relocation and installation.

We have an informal culture, international working environment and excellent professional development opportunities but one of the really amazing things about us is the concentration of technical and scientific expertise – something you probably won’t find anywhere else.

If you’ve ever visited the campus you’ll have experienced first-hand our friendly, collegial and supportive atmosphere, set in the beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside. Our staff also enjoy excellent sports facilities including a gym, a free shuttle bus, an on-site nursery, cafés and restaurant and a library.

Application Instructions

To apply please submit a covering letter and CV, with two referees, through our online system.

Additional Information

Applications are welcome from all nationalities - visa information will be discussed in more depth with applicants selected for interview.

EMBL-EBI is committed to achieving gender balance and strongly encourages applications from women, who are currently under-represented at all levels. Appointment will be based on merit alone.

This position is limited to the project duration specified.

Applications will close at 23:00 GMT on the date listed above.

Don't forget to mention Naturejobs when applying.

Apply through the recruiter's website

This recruiter would like you to apply via their website. Follow the link below for further instructions. When applying for this position please quote the following requisition number: EMBL-embl-EBI_01024