Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a skilled and motivated Bioinformatician with strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach to join the Translational Research team within the Clinical Genomics department. Based at the Centre for Molecular Pathology, one of seven national Genomic Laboratory Hubs offering cancer genomic testing in England, this state-of-the-art facility brings together translational science and molecular diagnostics. It is one of the leading laboratories in Europe specialising in molecular diagnostics of cancer. With the increasing demand for genetic and genomic data, the Centre is expanding its capability to analyse genomic information to deliver personalised molecular medicine and support biomarker discovery and validation across all cancer types.
We are seeking an enthusiastic Research Bioinformatician to contribute to the delivery of the molecular genetic service, with the overarching aim of improving cancer diagnosis and patient outcomes. The post-holder will be responsible for the development and maintenance of the in-house web portal, MarsGen Reporter, which supports specialised genomic molecular diagnostic investigations in tumour tissues. They will also play a key role in maintaining and validating the facility, including implementing analysis pipelines for clinical next-generation sequencing and other genomic protocols to advance personalised cancer medicine.
Main duties of the job
In addition, the postholder will design and develop web portals for data visualisation, support scientists with NGS data analysis and interpretation, and manage data storage, backup and user support. They will also contribute to staff training, documentation and SOPs, ensuring compliance with legal and ethical standards for handling and transmitting genetic and sensitive patient data.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. Develop, validate and maintain computational tools, workflows and databases for the application of AI/ML in clinical and genomic data analysis.
2. Design and implement algorithms for data interpretation, multi-omics integration and predictive modelling to support translational and clinical research.
3. Collaborate with clinicians, scientists and IT teams to develop scalable, automated analysis pipelines using high-performance and cloud-based computing systems.
4. Ensure secure organisation, storage and backup of all research and clinical data in compliance with NHS data governance and security standards.
5. Provide scientific and technical expertise in the validation, deployment and interpretation of AI/ML tools in clinical contexts.
6. Maintain accurate documentation, update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and contribute to quality improvement activities.
7. Produce analytical reports, data visualisations and presentations, and contribute to scientific publications.
Person specification
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
8. Experience of report writing
9. Ability to write clearly and concisely
10. Educational qualification in mathematics
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
11. Evidence of personal development
12. Self confident, contributes to weekly meetings
13. Able to work unsupervised
14. Flexible approach to work, decision maker
Specific Experience
Essential criteria
15. BSc in biological sciences / bioinformatics / computational biology
16. MSc in bioinformatics/computational biology
17. PhD in bioinformatics/computational biology or equivalent experience
18. Good knowledge of open source bioinformatics tools and genomic databases
19. Experience of UNIX/LINUX operating systems to an advanced level
20. Experience in programming using scripting languages to an advanced level, e.g. Perl or Python
21. Experience of Cloud computing systems and parallelising jobs
22. Experience of working in DNA-seq NGS
23. Experience of using containerisation and Git
Desirable criteria
24. HCPC-Registered Clinical Bioinformatician or working towards registration
25. Experience of working in other NGS applications i.e. RNA-seq
26. Experience with development and maintenance of a web portal
27. Able to perform advanced training and ensuring compliance with professional standards
28. Experience working in bioinformatics/computational biology in cancer domain
Management experience
Desirable criteria
29. Ability to manage the bioinformatics workflow on a daily basis
The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.
As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.
Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment.
Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff
At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.
The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the upmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.