Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life-changing science to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges.
Are you a talented and highly experienced bioinformatician looking for your next challenge? Do you have a strong background in analysing and interpreting genomic data from arboviruses? If you're passionate about making a real difference in the fight against global pathogens and excited about the potential of genomic data to revolutionise disease control, then keep reading because we have an exciting opportunity for you!
Here at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Genomic Surveillance Unit (GSU) is looking for a Lead Bioinformatician for their new vector-borne virus programme. This is a key role, leading the bioinformatic analysis and surveillance of a range of vector-borne viruses with major emphasis on the genetic diversity of arboviruses and the impact of control policies including vaccines on the transmission of viruses through vectors and humans.
About the role
This role is highly consultative and works collaboratively with partners, funders, global policy organisations and colleagues across all functional development and delivery teams in the Genomic Surveillance Unit (GSU). The role provides cross-functional leadership and needs strong product instincts, scientific expertise, excellent communication skills, technical fluency, empathy, humility and an appreciation for and understanding of lean start-up, agile and user-centred design values, principles and practices.
As Lead Bioinformatician you will:
Act as a trusted deputy to the Vector Borne Diseases Surveillance Lead
Support the development of the vector bone surveillance strategy and programme that maximises the return from a £7m investment
Determine control programmes’ needs and desires through requirements analysis and development of use cases for genetic surveillance
Working with Vector Surveillance Leads, develop the product and research and development projects and grants that prioritise development activities of the Delivery Teams and oversee a series of global partner-led scientific research programmes required to meet the use cases
Develop and recommend the strategy and scope of present and future product lines by developing and reviewing product specifications and requirements; and appraising new product ideas and/or product or packaging changes
Assess similar/related products across the broader genetic surveillance and epidemiology community
Work with service operations to understand processing bottlenecks and work with the product development team to develop effective solutions
Develop and maintain product development for each surveillance project consolidating and interpreting information from across all stakeholder groups
Develop and maintain a high-level system, technology and data architecture and associated roadmap to futureproof the product
Maintain product management and domain-specialist scientific and technical staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting, and training employees
Line management responsibility including setting objectives and managing staff performance
Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending major conferences and educational workshops; reviewing professional publications; establishing personal networks; and participating in professional societies
Be an active, strategic member of the wider GSU leadership team
About you
To excel in this role you will need the following skills and experience:
Technical skills
Experience in data-intensive scientific research, ideally in the field of genomics or public health
Experience in Arboviruses genomics with a strong focus on data
Competencies and behaviours
Ability to innovate and create practical solutions to complex problems
Skilled at designing products and prioritizing product features
Potential to develop excellent leadership and line management experience
Possess persuasive negotiation and influencing skills and the ability to shape a continuum of stakeholders at varying levels and in different contexts
Ability to quickly understand scientific, technical and process challenges and break down complex problems into actionable steps
Ability to work in a frequently changing environment with the capability to interpret management information to amend plans
Ability to prioritise, manage workload, and deliver agreed activities consistently on time
Strategic thinking; the ability to see the ‘bigger picture’
Ability to facilitate collaborative decision-making in a workshop context
Ability to quickly understand a specific client domain and identify the trends and opportunities in that space
About us
The Genomic Surveillance Unit is dedicated to global public health, bringing expertise in genomics, data science, product development, and sequencing operations to bear on surveillance solutions for important human diseases. We currently focus on malaria, COVID-19, and a range of other respiratory viruses.
Examples of our work include:
Extensive involvement in COVID-19 and respiratory virus surveillance activities in the UK, providing the UK Health Security Agency with insight to detect and manage outbreaks;
Fighting malaria — a disease which kills hundreds of thousands of children every year — by tracking drug and insecticide resistance;
Working with research partners around the world to translate scientific discoveries into operational surveillance products;
The culture in the GSU is innovative, fast-paced, international, and multidisciplinary. With backgrounds in business, technology, academia, and global health, our team solves problems with perspectivesfrom multiple angles.
Our world-leading COVID-19 and malaria genomic surveillance streams have a proven track record of successful implementation. We support partners around the world at every stage of the process, from sample collection and lab set-up to training, data generation, and analysis.
Our priorities are to continually increase benefits to public health, while improving the accessibility and quality of genomic surveillance data. Driven by the needs of our partners, we create analytical tools, lab methods, and data pipelines that push the boundaries of what’s possible.
For more information, visit https://www.sanger.ac.uk/collaboration/genomic-surveillance-unit/
Additional information
Please note: This is a hybrid role with 2 days per week onsite.
Internal employees interested in this role should apply through the internal Jobs Hub.
Please include a cover letter along with your CV. In your cover letter include detail on how your knowledge, skills and experience match the requirements of the role described.
Salary: £63,900 - £87,000
Closing Date: Sunday 07-APR
View the Sanger Institute’s 2022-2023 Highlights here: https://bit.ly/SangerHighlights
Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and the role may close when a successful appointment has been made.
Hybrid Working at Wellcome Sanger:
We recognise that there are many benefits to Hybrid Working; including an improved work-life balance, with more focused time, as well as the ability to organise working time so that collaborative opportunities and team discussions are facilitated on campus. The hybrid working arrangement will vary for different roles and teams. The nature of your role and the type of work you do will determine if a hybrid working arrangement is possible.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:
We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, thereby gaining insight and access to different markets to generate a greater impact on the world. We have a supportive culture with the following staff networks, LGBTQ+, Parents and Carers, Disability and Race Equity to bring people together to share experiences, offer specific support and development opportunities and raise awareness. The networks are also a place for allies to provide support to others.
We want our people to be whoever they want to be because we believe people who bring their best selves to work, do their best work. That’s why we’re committed to creating a truly inclusive culture at Sanger Institute. We will consider all individuals without discrimination and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.
Our Benefits:
We are proud to deliver an awarding campus-wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme. The importance of good health and adopting a healthier lifestyle and the commitment to reduce work-related stress is strongly acknowledged and recognised at Sanger Institute.
Sanger Institute became a signatory of the International Technician Commitment initiative In March 2018. The Technician Commitment aims to empower and ensure visibility, recognition, career development and sustainability for technicians working in higher education and research, across all disciplines.
