Bioinformatics Engineer

Genomics England Limited; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 56,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A genomic healthcare innovator is seeking a Bioinformatics Engineer to join their team in Cambridge. You will work on cutting-edge genome analysis for rare diseases, using advanced genomic techniques and software engineering skills. In this role, you'll contribute to software development and ensure high-quality tools that aid in clinical decision-making. Candidates should possess a solid background in bioinformatics, experience with Linux, and familiarity with CI/CD practices. This is a unique opportunity to positively impact patients' lives through genomic innovation.

Benefits

Generous Leave

Family-Friendly Benefits

Defined Contribution Pension

Learning & Development Support

Employee Recognition Programme

Health & Wellbeing Initiatives

Qualifications

• Solid skillset in bioinformatics and NGS standards.
• Experience with large datasets and production quality algorithms.
• Familiarity with software design, development, testing best practices.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain software tools for genome analysis.
• Produce automated tests to validate existing and new code.
• Write documentation to enable full traceability of processes.

Skills

Bioinformatics expertise

Software testing strategies

Linux proficiency

Technical writing skills

Algorithm development

CI/CD pipeline experience

Scientific workflows

Education

MSc in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or Bioinformatics

Tools

Nextflow

Docker

Singularity

Job description

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Department (choose all that you're interested in)

• Agile
• Assurance
• Assurance & IT Services and Support
• Bio Ops and Implementation
• Bioinformatics Research Services
• Business partnering
• Clinical
• Communications
• Data
• Delivery Management
• Design & Research
• Engagement
• Ethics
• Finance
• Genome Analysis
• Learning and Development
• Legal
• Marketing
• People Operations
• People Partnering
• Performance & MI
• Pharma Partnerships
• Procurement
• Product Management
• Quality, Improvement and Regulations
• Science Ops
• Scientific Curation
• Service Management & Business Systems
• Service Ownership
• Talent Management
• Technology & Architecture

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Company Description

Genomics England is a global leader in enabling genomic medicine and research, focused on creating a world where everyone benefits from genomic healthcare. Building on the 100,000 Genomes Project, we support the NHS’s world-first national whole genome sequencing service and run the growing National Genomic Research Library, alongside delivering numerous major genomics initiatives. By connecting research and clinical care at national scale, we enable immediate healthcare benefits and advances for the future.

Our mission is to provide the evidence and digital systems so that by 2035 genomics could play a role in up to half of all healthcare interactions, whilst securing the UK’s position as the best place to discover, prove and benefit from genomic innovations.

We are accelerating our impact and working with patients, doctors, scientists, government and industry to improve genomic testing, and help researchers access the health data and technology they need to make new medical discoveries and create more effective, targeted medicines for everybody.

Behind the Healthcare and Research outcomes, Genomics England delivers through designing, developing and operating complex healthcare software systems.

We are on the cusp of big changes with the real prospect of genomics becoming the fabric of everyday healthcare through the lifetime – from birth to old age.

Job Description

We are looking for a skilled Bioinformatics Engineer to work on our rare disease genome analysis pipeline. The pipeline utilises cutting-edge genomics techniques to analyse genomes generated by Illumina sequencing technology and provides insights on diagnosis for patients with rare diseases. This pipeline is a key component of the NHS WGS Genomic Medicine Service: this position offers a unique opportunity for a bioinformatics engineer to have real world, positive impact for rare disease patients.

Bioinformatics Engineers are software engineers with extensive experience in bioinformatics and are responsible for developing and maintaining software tools and datasets used to solve a wide variety of bioinformatic needs. They are also responsible for the high quality and robustness of such tools, following best practices during software design, development, and testing.

As a Bioinformatics Engineer at Genomics England, you will also be required to follow and contribute to agile practices, as well as to act as a subject-matter expert for bioinformatics. You will be supporting the continuous improvement of our practices, collaborating, and adhering to engineering standards.

Everyday responsibilities include:

• Produce automated tests to validate existing and new code.
• Contribute to all testing and deployment stages up to the production environment.
• Produce high-quality code for high throughput sequencing data analysis, genome analysis, workflows and interpretation.
• Interact with domain experts during the lifecycle of projects to ensure the scientific validity of software products.
• Contribute to discovery tasks during the initial phase of new developments and achieve understanding of early-stage decisions to inform final software design.
• Write documentation to achieve an exhaustive log of decisions, designs, tests, result sets etc. that enable full traceability of processes.
• Be a proactive member of a squad, adopting agile practices and offering subject matter expertise.
• Ensure adherence to the various standards and accreditations required for both clinical laboratory practice and software delivery.

Skills and experience for success:

• Experience in software testing strategies.
• Solid skillset in Bioinformatics, understanding of the standards, data sources and tool chains used in NGS.
• Proficient in Linux and containerisation techniques (Docker, Singularity).
• Excellent technical writing skills.
• Solid expertise of developing production quality algorithms and software to analyse large datasets.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines in a repository / version control system.
• Experience in building scientific workflows. Experience with Nextflow is highly desirable.

Qualifications

MSc equivalent or higher in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Bioinformatics or equivalent experience.

Additional Information

Salary from: £56,000

Closing date for applications - Friday 16th January

Being an integral part of such a meaningful mission is extremely rewarding in itself, but in order to support our people, we’re continually improving our benefits package. We pride ourselves on investing in our people and supporting them to achieve their career goals, as well as offering a benefits package including:

• Generous Leave: 30 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, additional leave for long service, and the option to apply for up to 30 days of remote working abroad annually (approval required).
• Family-Friendly: Blended working arrangements, flexible working, enhanced maternity, paternity and shared parental leave benefits.
• Pension & Financial: Defined contribution pension (Genomics England double-matches up to 10%, however you can contribute more if you wish), Life Assurance (3x salary), and a Give As You Earn scheme.
• Learning & Development: Individual learning budgets, support for training and certifications, and reimbursement for one annual professional subscription (approval required).
• Recognition & Rewards: Employee recognition programme and referral scheme.
• Health & Wellbeing: Subsidised gym membership, a free Headspace account, and access to an Employee Assistance Programme, eye tests, flu jabs.

Equal opportunities and our commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace

Genomics England is actively committed to providing and supporting an inclusive environment that promotes equity, diversity and inclusion best practice both within our community and in any other area where we have influence. We are proud of our diverse community where everyone can come to work and feel welcomed and treated with respect regardless of any disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, or social background.

Genomics England’s policies of non-discrimination and equity and will be applied fairly to all people, regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, being pregnant or recently becoming a parent, race, religion or beliefs, sex or sexual orientation, length of service, whether full or part-time or employed under a permanent or a fixed-term contract or any other relevant factor.

Genomics England does not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment, victimisation or bullying at work. Such behaviour undermines our mission and core values and diminishes the dignity, respect and integrity of all parties. Our People policies outline our commitment to inclusivity.

We aim to remove barriers in our recruitment processes and to be flexible with our interview processes. Should you require any adjustments that may help you to fully participate in the recruitment process, we encourage you to discuss this with us.

Culture

We have four key behaviours that represent what we would like Genomics England to feel like and the culture we want to encourage, in order for us to achieve our mission. These behaviours help us all work well together, deliver on our outcomes, celebrate our successes and share feedback with each other.

Blended working model

Genomics England operates a blended working model as we know our people appreciate the flexibility that hybrid working can bring. We expect most people to come into the office a minimum of 2 times each month. However, this will vary according to role and will be agreed with your team leader. There is no expectation that people will return to the office full time unless they want to, however, some of our roles require full time on site attendance e.g., lab teams, reception team.

Our teams and squads have, and will continue to reflect on what works best for them to work together successfully and have the freedom to design working patterns to suit, beyond the minimum. Our office locations are: Canary Wharf, Cambridge and Leeds.

Onboarding background checks

As part of our recruitment process, all successful candidates are subject to a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We therefore require applicants to disclose any previous offences at point of application, as some unspent convictions may mean we are unable to proceed with your application due to the nature of our work in healthcare.

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As part of our recruitment process, all successful candidates are subject to a Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. We therefore require applicants to disclose any previous offences at point of application, as some unspent convictions may mean we are unable to proceed with your application due to the nature of our work in healthcare.If you do not disclose a conviction that is identified on a DBS check, this may result in an offer of employment being withdrawn.This information may be shared with those internally who have a legitimate interest in the hiring process.Under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, do you have an unspent criminal conviction and/or unspent conditional caution to declare?

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Diversity and Inclusion is important to Genomics England. We want an organisation where you can bring your whole self and feel welcome and included in our mission and workplace. We use the answers to these questions completely anonymously to track and report on our progress in attracting and hiring a diverse workforce. Your answers to these questions are not visible to recruiters or hiring managers and are not used in the selection process.

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