Job Description
We are looking for a User Support Bioinformatician to join the Data Coordination and Archiving Team. The post holder will be working alongside the team’s Biocurators, Bionformaticians and Software Engineers to support our broad user base in the use of our data resources and services.
The post holder's work will centre upon submissions and validation services for data handled by the Data Coordination and Archiving team, including in particular those submitted to the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA). Main responsibilities will be the delivery of expert support to users of our web and programmatic interfaces through our Helpdesk; standards development and integration work; and the preparation and delivery of user training. In addition, he/she will work in part on several of our collaborative data coordination projects, including those around nanopore sequencing, metagenomics and pathogen surveillance.
The post holder’s work will be carried out in close communication with our international base of submitters and will involve giving advice on data submission requirements and protocols, data validation and processing and integration of the submitted data with assembly, project, sample and other high-level information. The post holder will be expected to work with a diverse range of submitters and to contribute to the development of data standards. Helpdesk staff are required to take an active part in the development and delivery of ENA and data coordination services, publishing and attending and presenting at internal and international meetings.
The successful candidate will be expected to work closely with Software Engineers who design and develop ENA’s submission pipelines. The Data Coordination and Archiving Team maintains close collaborations with both data submitters and those retrieving data and offers extensive Helpdesk facilities. The post holder will be part of the public face of ENA and will be expected to promote the use of our services and to participate in outreach.
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 23 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
The successful candidate will have a broad knowledge of molecular biology, possessing a university degree in the life sciences and, ideally, a postgraduate qualification in bioinformatics or computational biology.
Work experience: Required experience/broad knowledge should cover:
- molecular biology and next-generation sequencing technologies
- in depth up-to-date knowledge of biological databases, sequence analysis tools, standards and bioinformatics software
- some experience of working in a service capacity
Desired experience includes:
- professional experience in the bioinformatics domain
Computer skills:
Proficiency is required in:
- command line operations
- relational database management systems and SQL query language
- working with XML format and schema
- programming in Perl, Python or other scripting language, and
- standard office applications
Desired skills:
Personal skills:
The candidate is expected to:
- have excellent communication and presentation skills
- demonstrate being highly organised
- be able to demonstrate a high attention to detail
- work both independently and as part of a team
- be capable of planning and delivering projects, and
- be able to meet deadlines
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 enjoys 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.
The initial contract is for a period of three years with the possibility of a fixed-term extension.
Applications will close at 23:00 GMT on the date listed above.
It is envisaged that interviews will take place in the week commencing 19.02.2018.