ANZSCO ID: N/A July 2022

Alternative names: Bioinformatics Engineer

Specialisations:

a. Bioinformatician: is most closely associated with managing data itself. This role is responsible for managing large databases, developing data frameworks, and creating and modifying algorithms. Their analysis is typically used for classifying components of a biological system such as DNA sequences or documenting protein expression.

Bioinformaticians should be well-versed in programming statistical models, combining data sets, and maintaining data integrity and security. Individuals in this role often collaborate with scientists and researchers to interpret and present data sets.

b. Bioinformatics Analyst: Bioinformatics specialists are technology and information specialists working within biotechnology as well as other areas of biomedical studies. They collect, store, manage and analyse complex biological information which may include data about DNA and genome, protein sequencing, and processes. It is an entry-level position. A bioinformatics scientist is responsible for performing statistical and custom bioinformatics analysis. A master's in bioinformatics is the basic requirement for this role.
  

c. Bioinformatics Programmer: Developing and preserving the algorithm equipment needed to support the analysis of the sequencing database, and assessing the sequencing data for its implementation into genetic code browsers. Monitoring the research of junior researchers, supporting them in coding sequences in various programming languages and designing unique computer software for genomic data storage are the several tasks involved in a Bioinformatics career. A bioinformatics programmer knows various computer programming languages such as C, C+, C++, Perl, python, and statistics. He or she applies that knowledge to develop tools that are required to find solutions to numerous health ailments.
   

d. Computational Biologist: Computational Biology is a sub-set of Bioinformatics. Computational Biology is a combination of mathematics, statistics, computer science, and biology.

Computational Biologists are responsible for gathering data, then using this data to create models to interpret biological phenomena. They can use this data for a number of purposes; to find patterns and trends, understand how things evolve and change, and even cure diseases.

Examples of projects real Computational Biologists are working on include finding a cure for cancer, helping to stop the spread of deadly diseases like Ebola, and helping develop more sustainable fishing practices.

(Source: Northeastern University)

Knowledge, skills and attributes

• Analytical and methodical

• Great mathematics skills

• Excellent problem-solver

• Fantastic communication skills

• Technologically literate

• Works well in teams and independently

• Organised and efficient

• Ethical and trustworthy

(Source: BiteSizeBio)

Duties and Tasks

• Gathering and storing data and statistics

• Conducting in-depth research

• Coding new software and programs

• Designing machine learning algorithms to interpret data

• Practically applying research findings in the real world

• Presenting and interpreting research findings to stakeholders

• Applying for research funding and support

• Working alongside other researchers and scientists

• Consult with researchers to analyze problems, recommend technology-based solutions, or determine computational strategies.

• Communicate research results through conference presentations, scientific publications, or project reports.

• Keep abreast of new biochemistries, instrumentation, or software by reading scientific literature and attending professional conferences.

• Develop data models and databases.

• Instruct others in the selection and use of bioinformatics tools.

• Manipulate publicly accessible, commercial, or proprietary genomic, proteomic, or post-genomic databases.

• Develop new software applications or customize existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs.

• Compile data for use in activities, such as gene expression profiling, genome annotation, or structural bioinformatics.

• Test new and updated bioinformatics tools and software.

• Direct the work of technicians and information technology staff applying bioinformatics tools or applications in areas such as proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, or clinical bioinformatics.

• Analyze large molecular datasets, such as raw microarray data, genomic sequence data, or proteomics data, for clinical or basic research purposes.

• Create or modify web-based bioinformatics tools.

• Create novel computational approaches and analytical tools as required by research goals.

• Provide statistical and computational tools for biologically based activities, such as genetic analysis, measurement of gene expression, or gene function determination.

• Recommend new systems and processes to improve operations.

• Design and apply bioinformatics algorithms including unsupervised and supervised machine learning, dynamic programming, or graphic algorithms.

• Improve user interfaces to bioinformatics software and databases.

• Collaborate with software developers in the development and modification of commercial bioinformatics software.

• Prepare summary statistics of information regarding human genomes.

• Confer with departments, such as marketing, business development, or operations, to coordinate product development or improvement.

(Source: Careers 360)

Working conditions
   

Average hours for full-time workers: 43 hours a week, which is average. You will likely be doing most of your work indoors in lab settings.

Tools and technologies

A bioinformatician uses tools to understand or solve biological problems and also helps to develop tools for research. There are two general categories of bioinformaticians:

The first category includes developers who implement algorithms and develop tools for bioinformatics.
The second category includes curators who are responsible for all the work relating to data resources and data integration.

Most bioinformaticians work within different medical science and health fields, including biology, genetics, proteomics, and pharmaceuticals. Some professionals come from a biomedical research background while others specialize in computational tools.

You need to learn how to use:

• sequence alignment tools such as Blast or Bowtie;

• the Genome Analysis Toolkit (GATK);

• software for next-generation sequencing, microarray, qPCR, and data analysis (Partek);

• tools for handling high-throughput sequencing data (e.g. samtools);

• tools such as Ensemble to gather gene data sets;

• tools for database search systems (e.g. Entrez).

Statistical Skills
You need to learn:

• how to use statistical software systems such as SPSS and SAS;

• how to perform statistical analyses with Python or R.

Programming Skills
You should be familiar with:

• one or more of the following programming languages: R, Perl, Python, Java, and Matlab;

• machine-learning tools and libraries such as Mllib and Scikit-Learn in Python.

  
Education and training/entrance requirements

A Master’s or Doctorate-level qualification in a relevant field is usually desired in order to work as a Bioinformatics Scientist or Computational Biologist in Australia. Some fields to consider include Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Statistics, or Mathematics.

Employment Opportunities

Due to the growing influence of bioinformatics on various industries, there are ample opportunities for those looking to pursue diverse careers in bioinformatics.

Generally, a bioinformatics specialist is responsible for managing and analyzing large sets of genomic data. The setting where that data analysis takes place can vary quite a bit, however.

In the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, work typically involves exploring the human genome to detect how drugs may impact certain proteins within the body’s cells. Work often happens in a laboratory setting.

  
In biology and zoology, the analysis focuses on animal and plant genomes and terrestrial data such as elevation and water availability, with an overall focus on environmental health and conservation.

Bioinformatics engineers may work in a lab or out in the field.

 
In academia, bioinformatics careers are related to experiments that may not have an immediate commercial benefit but could be used to drive future investigations in medical or biological research.