Open Bioinformatics Scientist Position

Job Description- Bioinformatics Scientist

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Texas A&M AgriLife Genomics and Bioinformatics Service has an opening for Bioinformatics Scientists. This is a critical research position, the successful candidate will develop and deploy bioinformatics tools to aid the plant breeding programs across Texas A&M AgriLife. The position requires a significant bioinformatics experience focused on next generation sequencing, with a strong educational background in programming, statistics, and genetics. The position will focus on development of tools for the analysis of genotyping-by-sequencing data, and genotype to phenotype predictive modeling in plants.

Education, Skills and qualifications

  • Ph.D. in bioinformatics, computational biology, plant breeding & genetics, or a closely related discipline
  • Working knowledge of quantitative, population and mendelian genetics.
  • Prior experience working in plant breeding or genetics.
  • Significant bioinformatics experience using command-line tools in analyzing next-generation sequencing data, including data quality control, alignment, assembly, annotation, etc.
  • Strong understanding of current next generation sequencing technologies
  • Proficiency in at least one of the compiled programming languages
  • Expert proficiency in scripting languages: Python, Unix Shell – AWK, sed, etc.
  • Experience with statistical programming language R. Familiarity with Bioconductor, especially common NGS packages.
  • Strong statistical background. Experience with GWAS, QTL mapping, generalized linear models and linear mixed models would be preferable.

Major responsibilities

  • Performing genotype-by-sequence and population analysis.
  • Developing new bioinformatics tools for marker-assisted-selection
  • Pursuing external funding with plant breeding teams across AgriLife.
  • Providing consultations/training to the faculty/researchers/students
  • The candidate shall be a member of and participate in the Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics Systems Engineering (CBGSE).