Director of Bioinformatics

Department
 

BSD DFI - Staff

About the Department
 

The Duchossois Family Institute (DFI) focuses on the role of commensal bacteria in enhancing disease resistance and is using genomic and metabolomic platforms to characterize the microbiome and its metabolites. Computational and bioinformatic expertise is required to understand how commensal bacteria impact human health. Bioinformaticians in the DFI perform genomic analyses including genome assembly and annotation and working with computation software programs to analyze microbial genome sequences and characterizing their metabolite utilization and secretion.

Job Summary
 

This position involves participating in groundbreaking science that emphasizes the treatment and the prevention of disease. This opportunity involves interacting and collaborating with researchers across a wide range of biological sciences in an academic setting and with access to the latest cutting-edge technologies.
The Director of Bioinformatics will provide leadership to the bioinformatics project team and develop new tools for computational analysis by implementing innovative approaches to current computational methods. The ideal candidate will work closely with clinical and laboratory investigators to analyze metagenomic sequences and metabolomics profiles using a broad range of statistical tests to compare microbiota and microbiome compositions in longitudinal and cross-sectional studies.

Responsibilities

• Provides technical expertise in the selection, validation, and implementation of the appropriate internal and external data analytic and bioinformatic solutions needed to analyze specimens, process and integrate data, and perform analysis and visualization.

• Promotes the development of interdisciplinary bioinformatics research in the translational and clinical settings, benefitting from interactions with the robust bioinformatics and advanced analytics.

• Conducts collaborative research in projects involving integrative multi-omic analyses of high throughput microbial metagenomic sequence data and metabolomic analyses of metabolite utilization and secretion.

• Develops new and innovative shiny apps in a scalable way to facilitate genomics data accessing and sharing.

• Provides expertise and resources to implement web-based bioinformatics tools.

• Designs and customizes data algorithms and specialized computer software to identify and classify components of a biological system (e.g. DNA and protein sequences).

• Develops databases and software applications for new assignments and projects.

• Supervises all phases of bioinformatics activities by devising or modifying procedures to solve complex problems.

• Customizes existing applications to meet specific scientific project needs.

• Works in collaboration with faculty and researchers to complete projects in a timely and efficient manner.

• Produces, presents, and discusses high quality data analysis reports.

• Participates in the communication of results through scientific publications.

• Provides leadership to a team of Bioinformaticians by working to define clear and realistic goals and developing a general management view of the projects.

• Establishes the direction and works with leaders to direct the work of technicians and information technology staff.

• Leads bioinformatics projects to ensure implementation in a timely and efficient manner with compliant, appropriate documentation.

• Fosters a continuous learning environment supporting training opportunities. Provide direct supervision of bioinformatics staff (i.e. coaching, talent management, etc.).

• Build collaborative relationships across the bioinformatics community, to create novel approaches to optimize upstream and downstream analysis and interpretation of data.

• Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications
 

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

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Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 7+ years of work experience in a related job discipline.

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Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

• Advanced degree preferred in Bioinformatics, Biostatistics, Biomedical Sciences, Computational Biology, Genomics, Bioengineering or related quantitative field.

Experience:

• Experience in computational bioinformatics involving high throughput datasets (e.g., next-generation sequencing data and transcriptomics), data mining and machine learning skills, and proficiency in R, MATLAB, SQL, JavaScript, bash scripting or Perl/Python programming in a Linux environment, with scientific achievement demonstrated by research accomplishments and journal publications.

• Proven skills in software engineering.

• Expertise in GIT and cloud-based environments (such as AWS).

• Expertise with metagenomic pipelines (dada2, prokka, kneaddata, spades, kraken2, metaphlan, bowtie2, blastn).

• Expertise in R-script (dplyr, tidyverse, ggplot2).

• Expertise with Machine Learning and Shiny Fundamentals in R on DataCamp highly desirable.

• Expertise in microbial taxonomy classification.

• In depth understanding of NGS library preparation methods used to generate next-generation sequencing data, including whole-genome, metabolic, and targeted sequencing.

​Preferred Competencies

• Excellent organizational and communication skills, with a mindset of driving performance and innovation in a lean and highly effective team setting.

• Demonstrates the ability to perform self-directed bioinformatics research and to develop successful collaborations.

• Must work closely with students, postdoctoral fellows, clinical investigators, and faculty members. 

• Must pay great attention to detail and help investigators design studies that will provide useful and ultimately publishable data.

• In depth knowledge of microbial metabolic pathways. 

• Prepare and provide information and data analyses for scientific abstracts/conferences/project.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Strong team building, mentoring, leadership, or management experience.

Working Conditions

• Office Environment.

Application Documents

• Resume (required)

• Cover Letter (preferred)

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
 

Research

Role Impact
 

People Manager

FLSA Status
 

Exempt

Pay Frequency
 

Monthly

Scheduled Weekly Hours
 

40

Benefits Eligible
 

Yes

Requires Compliance with University Covid-19 Vaccination Requirement
 

Yes

Drug Test Required
 

No

Health Screen Required
 

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
 

No

Posting Statement
 

Employees must comply with the University’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements. More information about the requirements can be found on the University of Chicago Vaccination GoForward .
The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, age, status as an individual with a disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Staff Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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