Senior Computer Biologist - Darwin Tree of Life

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Salary range: £36,737- £44,451 per annum (depending on experience) plus excellent benefits

Fixed Term Contract for 2 Years

The Sanger Institute has started the Darwin Tree of Life project to provide high-quality genome assemblies for all life in the British Isles. This project will significantly contribute to the global Earth Biogenome Project, fundamentally changing scientific knowledge of evolution and interactions among millions of the planet's organisms.

Within the Darwin Tree of Life Project, our team makes sense of the gigantic amount of data that is being produced by generating genome assemblies, assessing their concordance with difference data types and changing them accordingly, thereby improving both assembly quality and assembly strategy. We are seeking to recruit a Senior Computer Biologist to join our genome curators and help us in this undertaking, specifically in the assessment of genome assemblies using bespoke software tools and correcting assembly errors.

You will have sound knowledge of genomics, ideally with insight into genome assembly visualisation and genome analysis software, engage with current genomics research and are enthusiastic about trying out new approaches. You do not need programming skills, but a keen eye for detail and a thorough understanding of genomic data to make the right decisions. You will work closely with our software developers to report on your insights from assessing assemblies to help improve software and processes.

This role requires an investigative and solution-oriented mind set and excellent communication skills to work effectively within large national and international consortia.

Essential Skills

Degree in a biological or computational topic or adequate experience.

Demonstrable knowledge of genomics.

Some familiarity with a Unix environment.

Excellent problem-solving skills combined with being proactive and self-motivated.

Ability to work independently and as part of a team. Good communication skills to document and present work to technical and non-technical audiences.

Ability to take responsibilities for deliverables.

Ability to organise, plan and prioritise a diverse range of work to meet deadlines.

Ability to focus and accurately complete tasks within given timeframes while dealing with unscheduled interruptions e.g. changing priorities.

Ideal Skills

Experience with genome assembly and genome analysis software.

Some experience with scripting languages and relational databases

PhD or adequate experience.

Other information

The Wellcome Sanger Institute is a charitably funded research centre and committed to training the next generation of genome scientists. Focused on understanding the role of genetics in health and disease and a world leader in the genomic revolution, our mission is to use genome sequences to advance understanding of human and pathogen biology in order to improve human health. We aim to provide results that can be translated into diagnostics, treatments or therapies that reduce global health burdens. Our science is large-scale and organised into Programmes, led by our Faculty who conceive and deliver our science, and supported by our Scientific Operations teams responsible for all data production pipelines at the Institute.

Our Campus:

Set over 125 acres, the stunning and dynamic Wellcome Genome Campus is the biggest aggregate concentration of people in the world working on the common theme of Genomes and BioData. It brings together a diverse and exceptional scientific community, committed to delivering life-changing science with the reach, scale and imagination to pursue some of humanity's greatest challenges.

Our Benefits:

Our employees have access to a comprehensive range of benefits and facilities including:

Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance

Group Income Protection

Private Health Insurance

25 days annual leave, increasing by one day a year to a maximum of 30

Family friendly environment including options for flexible and part-time working, a childcare voucher scheme, Campus Nursery and Summer holiday club

Two days paid Employee Volunteering Leave a year

Employee Discount Scheme

Campus Gym, tennis courts, cricket pitch and sports hall plus a range of dining facilities

Active Campus Sports and Social Club

Free Campus Bus Service

Genome Research Limited hold an Athena SWAN Bronze Award and will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.

Please include a covering letter and CV with your application. Closing date for applications: 16th June 2019