How to hire a bioinformatics software engineer

How to hire a bioinformatics software engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step bioinformatics software engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a bioinformatics software engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new bioinformatics software engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a bioinformatics software engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your bioinformatics software engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a bioinformatics software engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A bioinformatics software engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, bioinformatics software engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of bioinformatics software engineers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Bioinformatics Software Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Bioinformatics Software Engineer	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$34-65
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Software Architect	A Software Architect develops new programs for a variety of technological devices for businesses, computer games, mobile networks, and/or operating systems. They ensure architectural integrity and consistency across the entire product and work closely with executives to explain the benefits of the software.	$39-75

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Python
   • Java
   • Next-Generation Sequencing
   • Visualization
   • AWS
   • JavaScript
   • C++
   • Linux
   • CSS
   • API
   • RNA
   • Perl
   • HTML
   • Spark

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the documentation website for Alchemy.js and convert it to AngularJS making it dynamic and allowing for quick changes to documentation.
   • Support developers and testers on code debugging and business process troubleshooting.
   • Perform all aspects of system management including system performance tuning, configuration design, troubleshooting and debugging of software programs.
   • Participate in the design and development of a prototype relational database system; are responsible for SQL processor/optimizer and query parsing.
   • Program interactive games locate at Artizt.com.
   • Implement sample programs for using soa services for classification module.

   More bioinformatics software engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your bioinformatics software engineer job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A bioinformatics software engineer can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, bioinformatics software engineers' average salary in hawaii is 41% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level bioinformatics software engineers 47% less than senior-level bioinformatics software engineers.
   • Certifications. A bioinformatics software engineer with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a bioinformatics software engineer's salary.

   Average bioinformatics software engineer salary

   $99,311yearly

   $47.75 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level bioinformatics software engineer salary

   $72,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 13, 2025

   Average bioinformatics software engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$136,590	$66
   2	Utah	$101,142	$49
   3	Massachusetts	$97,811	$47
   4	Washington	$96,552	$46
   5	New York	$94,304	$45
   6	Delaware	$90,029	$43
   7	Colorado	$89,832	$43
   8	Connecticut	$85,742	$41
   9	Maryland	$84,918	$41
   10	Wisconsin	$83,332	$40
   11	Missouri	$82,899	$40
   12	Georgia	$81,761	$39
   13	Tennessee	$77,520	$37

   Average bioinformatics software engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	$119,706	$57.55
   2	Invitae	$115,371	$55.47
   3	Novartis	$114,485	$55.04
   4	Genentech	$112,662	$54.16	30
   5	Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc	$110,776	$53.26	4
   6	Cell Signaling Technology	$107,216	$51.55	1
   7	Agilent Technologies	$106,992	$51.44
   8	Fred Hutch	$102,998	$49.52
   9	Dev	$102,467	$49.26	94
   10	Ancestry US Holdings Inc	$99,960	$48.06	1
   11	TWO95 International	$99,936	$48.05
   12	OmniTier	$99,855	$48.01
   13	GRAIL	$99,755	$47.96	4
   14	Avila Therapeutics	$99,507	$47.84
   15	Illumina	$98,737	$47.47	2
   16	University of California	$98,666	$47.44
   17	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	$98,131	$47.18	8
   18	Netskope	$97,964	$47.10	2
   19	Bionano Genomics	$96,790	$46.53	1
   20	University of Maryland, Baltimore	$96,389	$46.34	14

4. Writing a bioinformatics software engineer job description

   A good bioinformatics software engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a bioinformatics software engineer job description:

   Bioinformatics software engineer job description example

   Personal Genome Diagnostics (PGDx), a part of LabCorp, is Empowering the Fight Against Cancer by unlocking actionable information from the genome. We are developing an innovative portfolio of tissue-based and non-invasive liquid biopsy genomic products for laboratories worldwide.
   We are seeking a highly motivated and curious Bioinformatics Software Engineer to join our Bioinformatics Core in the Baltimore, MD area.Every part of our organization relies on software. As a Bioinformatics Software Engineer you will be producing software and documentation that will directly impact our products, customers and patients.
   
   RESPONSIBILITIES:
   Actively participate in all facets of design, development, testing, and maintenance of robust software and systems to support PGDx products and services. Improve bioinformatics approaches for the detection, interpretation and reporting of genomic information. Strategize with leadership to solve tough scientific problems Follow the software development lifecycle in an agile environment Contribute to software and project requirements Contribute to the architecture and design of software Provide technical leadership and expertise for staff Ensure data and software quality by designing and implementing test methodologies Ensure the security of the information systems, software, communication lines, and equipment Provide reports to managers and staff on systems and software, including capabilities, performance, and security
   Required Qualifications:
   2+ years of professional software engineering experience Bachelor's degree in Bioinformatics, Biology, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related major Confident in a Linux environment Team-first attitude and entrepreneurial spirit Ability to deliver within fixed deadlines Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to learn quickly on the job Interest in Cancer Biology
   Preferred Qualifications:
   Bioinformatics
   NextGen Sequence data analysis Sequence alignment Pipeline development Big data management Algorithm development Machine Learning concepts and techniques Software Engineering
   Programming Languages including Python, PERL, R, C/C++, Java, BASH Web-technologies including Angular, React, JavaScript Web-service frameworks including Django, RESTful APIs Workflow systems Database Services including SQL, NoSQL Master's degree/PhD in related field preferred Familiarity with concepts in genomics and bioinformatics analysis of cancer. Experience with agile software development methodology and practices, git source control, and Atlassian tools (JIRA, Confluence, Bitbucket, Bamboo).
   Labcorp is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer:
   
   As an EOE/AA employer, the organization will not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant's race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status.
   
   For more information about how we collect and store your personal data, please see our Privacy Statement.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find bioinformatics software engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your bioinformatics software engineer job on Zippia to find and recruit bioinformatics software engineer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit bioinformatics software engineers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with bioinformatics software engineer applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new bioinformatics software engineer

   Once you've found the bioinformatics software engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new bioinformatics software engineer. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a bioinformatics software engineer?