What does a senior bioinformatics scientist do?
Senior bioinformatics scientist responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior bioinformatics scientist resumes:
- Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
- Design the NGS base cancer diagnostics report.
- Assume responsibility for programming, using Perl and CGI and shell scripting.
- Develop and validate ELISA assays necessary for providing information for PK/PD analysis.
- Establish purification and purity analysis procedures, and develop numerous ELISA assays.
- Provide small-scale GLP synthetic chemistry laboratory support to bulk GMP pharmaceutical manufacturing.
- Develop and validate stability indicating methods on HPLC for final compound release and stability study.
- Gain extensive exposure and familiarity to enterprise databases for breeding, genotyping, and product portfolio.
- Lead process development efforts that provide company with intellectual property and patent-ability within the RNA space.
- Conduct technology transfer to numerous manufacturing sites for scale up to regulatory toxicology and clinical GMP manufacturing scale.
- Support development of a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion device by performing analysis of commercial insulin dose formulations by HPLC.
- Design key targets and supervise one chemistry associate resulting in the synthesis of additional compounds, some with excellent biological activity.
- Identify opportunities and develop and support on-line and at-line process NIR and IR monitoring and control methodologies for aluminum coating operations.
Senior bioinformatics scientist skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Senior Bioinformatics Scientists are proficient in Python, Next-Generation Sequencing, and Data Analysis. They’re also known for soft skills such as Observation skills, Communication skills, and Analytical skills.
We break down the percentage of Senior Bioinformatics Scientists that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Python, 16%
Developed client-side interface using MATLAB, Python.
- Next-Generation Sequencing, 15%
Established a Next-generation sequencing platform and developed assays for high-throughput genetic analysis using Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM).
- Data Analysis, 11%
Optimized and developed algorithms for data analysis of custom projects.
- Visualization, 9%
Developed optical system/technique for optical visualization and otherwise characterizing traveling ring vortex and related fluid phenomena in air.
- Computational Biology, 7%
Develop, validate and implement novel algorithms and provide computational biology and biostatistics support for various projects; 3.
- NGS, 6%
Evaluated, researched various short read NGS de novo assembly software such as SOAPdenovo2, ALLPATHS-LG, AbySS, etc.
"python," "next-generation sequencing," and "data analysis" are among the most common skills that senior bioinformatics scientists use at work. You can find even more senior bioinformatics scientist responsibilities below, including:
Observation skills. One of the key soft skills for a senior bioinformatics scientist to have is observation skills. You can see how this relates to what senior bioinformatics scientists do because "medical scientists conduct experiments that require monitoring samples and other health-related data." Additionally, a senior bioinformatics scientist resume shows how senior bioinformatics scientists use observation skills: "coordinated and performed commercial release testing of marketed product at manufacturing site in qc environment to address fda audit observations"
Communication skills. Another essential skill to perform senior bioinformatics scientist duties is communication skills. Senior bioinformatics scientists responsibilities require that "medical scientists must be able to explain their research in nontechnical ways." Senior bioinformatics scientists also use communication skills in their role according to a real resume snippet: "participated in method transfers of new products with akzo nobel served as qc representative on employee communication committee"
The three companies that hire the most senior bioinformatics scientists are:
- Guardant Health16 senior bioinformatics scientists jobs
- Bristol-Myers Squibb6 senior bioinformatics scientists jobs
- Illumina6 senior bioinformatics scientists jobs
Compare different senior bioinformatics scientists
Senior bioinformatics scientist vs. Research fellow
A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a senior bioinformatics scientist are more likely to require skills like "visualization," "computational biology," "ngs," and "linux." On the other hand, a job as a research fellow requires skills like "patients," "cell culture," "immunology," and "crispr." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Research fellows tend to make the most money working in the non profits industry, where they earn an average salary of $57,261. In contrast, senior bioinformatics scientists make the biggest average salary, $108,481, in the pharmaceutical industry.research fellows tend to reach similar levels of education than senior bioinformatics scientists. In fact, research fellows are 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 9.6% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Senior bioinformatics scientist vs. Fellow
A fellow's responsibility will depend on the organization or industry where one belongs. However, most of the time, a fellow's duty will revolve around conducting research and analysis, presiding discussions and attending dialogues, handle lectures while complying with the guidelines or tasks set by supervisors, and assist in various projects and activities. Furthermore, a fellow must adhere to the institution or organization's policies and regulations at all times, meet all the requirements and outputs involved, and coordinate with every person in the workforce.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior bioinformatics scientist responsibilities requires skills like "next-generation sequencing," "visualization," "computational biology," and "ngs." But a fellow might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "patients," "professional development," "veterans," and "mathematics."
Fellows may earn a lower salary than senior bioinformatics scientists, but fellows earn the most pay in the professional industry with an average salary of $67,978. On the other hand, senior bioinformatics scientists receive higher pay in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $108,481.In general, fellows achieve similar levels of education than senior bioinformatics scientists. They're 3.3% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 9.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior bioinformatics scientists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Betsy Smith
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Elmira College
Senior bioinformatics scientist vs. Phd researcher
The primary job of a Ph.D. researcher is to plan and conduct experiments and analyzing their outcome. You will collect, organize, and analyze data and opinions to solve issues and predict trends. Other tasks you will perform include doing fieldwork to collect samples, writing reports, research papers, and reviews, and organizing materials testing. In addition, you need to liaise with research and production staff, develop ways to resolve problems, and supervise junior research staff.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a senior bioinformatics scientist is likely to be skilled in "computational biology," "cloud computing," "perl," and "sql," while a typical phd researcher is skilled in "chemistry," "renewable energy," "doe," and "scholar."
Phd researchers earn the highest salary when working in the technology industry, where they receive an average salary of $79,949. Comparatively, senior bioinformatics scientists have the highest earning potential in the pharmaceutical industry, with an average salary of $108,481.phd researchers typically earn similar educational levels compared to senior bioinformatics scientists. Specifically, they're 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior bioinformatics scientist vs. Researcher
A researcher is responsible for collating, organizing, and verifying necessary information for a specific subject. Researchers' duties include analyzing data, gathering and comparing resources, ensuring facts, sharing findings with the whole research team, adhering to required methodologies, performing fieldwork as needed, and keeping critical information confidential. Researchers must be knowledgeable about the current market trends and align findings with the research goals. A researcher must show strong communication skills, as well as strong attention to detail and time-management skills to meet deadlines under minimal supervision.
Types of senior bioinformatics scientist
Updated January 8, 2025
