Occupation

Bioinformatics Scientists

Human Advantage 71%

Significant human skills needed

AI Automation Risk Low Risk
2.1 / 10

This occupation requires complex human judgment, social interaction, and creative problem-solving that are difficult to automate.

Conduct research using bioinformatics theory and methods in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. May design databases and develop algorithms for processing and analyzing genomic information, or other biological information.

Also Known As: Bioinformatician, Bioinformaticist, Bioinformatics Analyst, Bioinformatics Associate, Bioinformatics Computer Scientist, Bioinformatics Consultant, Bioinformatics Data Analyst, Bioinformatics Developer +23 more

Core Tasks

  1. Develop new software applications or customize existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs.
  2. Communicate research results through conference presentations, scientific publications, or project reports.
  3. Create novel computational approaches and analytical tools as required by research goals.
  4. Consult with researchers to analyze problems, recommend technology-based solutions, or determine computational strategies.
  5. Analyze large molecular datasets, such as raw microarray data, genomic sequence data, or proteomics data, for clinical or basic research purposes.
  6. Keep abreast of new biochemistries, instrumentation, or software by reading scientific literature and attending professional conferences.
  7. Develop data models and databases.
  8. Compile data for use in activities, such as gene expression profiling, genome annotation, or structural bioinformatics.
  9. Design and apply bioinformatics algorithms including unsupervised and supervised machine learning, dynamic programming, or graphic algorithms.
  10. Manipulate publicly accessible, commercial, or proprietary genomic, proteomic, or post-genomic databases.
  11. Direct the work of technicians and information technology staff applying bioinformatics tools or applications in areas such as proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, or clinical bioinformatics.
  12. Provide statistical and computational tools for biologically based activities, such as genetic analysis, measurement of gene expression, or gene function determination.
  13. Create or modify web-based bioinformatics tools.

Supplemental Tasks (7)

  1. Improve user interfaces to bioinformatics software and databases.
  2. Confer with departments, such as marketing, business development, or operations, to coordinate product development or improvement.
  3. Recommend new systems and processes to improve operations.
  4. Instruct others in the selection and use of bioinformatics tools.
  5. Collaborate with software developers in the development and modification of commercial bioinformatics software.
  6. Test new and updated bioinformatics tools and software.
  7. Prepare summary statistics of information regarding human genomes.

Education & Training

Job Zone 5 Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
On-the-Job Training: Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Education Level Distribution

Percentage of workers in this occupation with each education level.

Bachelor's Degree
34%
Post-Doctoral Training
32%
Master's Degree
16%
Doctoral Degree
14%
Post-Master's Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master's degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.
4%

Technology & Tools

Hot Technologies

  • Amazon Web Services AWS software
  • Apache Hadoop
  • Bash
  • C
  • C#
  • C++
  • Django
  • Docker
  • Extensible markup language XML
  • Git
  • GitHub
  • Hypertext markup language HTML
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • JavaScript
  • JavaScript Object Notation JSON
  • Linux
  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
  • Microsoft Azure software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft SQL Server
  • Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRS
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA
  • Microsoft Visual Studio
  • MySQL
  • NoSQL
  • Oracle Database
  • Oracle Java
  • Oracle JavaServer Pages JSP
  • Oracle PL/SQL
  • PHP
  • Perl
  • PostgreSQL
  • Python
  • R
  • Ruby
  • SAP software
  • SAS
  • Salesforce software
  • Scala
  • Shell script
  • Structured query language SQL
  • Tableau
  • The MathWorks MATLAB
  • UNIX
  • jQuery

Software (94)

  • Accelrys Pipeline Pilot
  • Apache Accumulo
  • Apache Groovy
  • Apache HTTP Server
  • BLAT
  • BWA
  • BioPerl
  • Bioconductor
  • Bioconductor software
  • Biomatters Geneious
  • Bowtie
  • Canu
  • ClustalW
  • Cufflinks
  • Cytel StatXact
  • DNA sequencing software
  • Data visualization software
  • ENSEMBL
  • Formula translation/translator FORTRAN
  • GenBank
  • GenePattern
  • Genedata Expressionist
  • Genome Analysis Toolkit GATK
  • Illumina Laboratory Information Management System LIMS
  • Life Technologies SOLiD
  • Life Technologies Vector NTI
  • Microsoft operating system
  • NCBI RefSeq
  • Object oriented development environment software
  • Primer3
  • Public genomic databases
  • RNA sequencing software
  • Relational database management software
  • Roche 454 Life Sciences GS Data Analysis
  • Software development tools
  • StataCorp Stata
  • TIBCO Spotfire S+
  • Teradata software
  • Tibco S-PLUS
  • TopHat
  • User interface design software
  • Velvet
  • Web browser software
  • Word processing software
  • dbSNP

Tools & Equipment (5)

  • Computer data input scanners
  • Computer laser printers
  • Desktop computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Personal computers

Where This Career Leads

Career progression organized by specialty track and experience level.

Biotechnology Research & Development Advanced Manufacturing

Zone 5
Bioinformatics Scientists You are here

Plant Systems Advanced Manufacturing

Animal Systems Healthcare & Human Services

Zone 2
Animal Breeders 75% match
Zone 5
Bioinformatics Scientists You are here

Resume Builder

Select key tasks to generate action-oriented resume bullets for Bioinformatics Scientists positions.

Related Occupations

Show all 20 related occupations

Real Talk

Hear from real Bioinformatics Scientistss about their work: