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Bioinformatics Technicians

Also called: Bioinformatics Analyst, Bioinformatics Specialist, Biotechnician, Scientific Informatics Analyst

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What they do:
Apply principles and methods of bioinformatics to assist scientists in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. Apply bioinformatics tools to visualize, analyze, manipulate or interpret molecular data. May build and maintain databases for processing and analyzing genomic or other biological information.
On the job, you would:
  • Analyze or manipulate bioinformatics data using software packages, statistical applications, or data mining techniques.
  • Extend existing software programs, web-based interactive tools, or database queries as sequence management and analysis needs evolve.
  • Maintain awareness of new and emerging computational methods and technologies.

Knowledge

Engineering and Technology
  • computers and electronics
Math and Science
  • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
  • biology
Arts and Humanities
  • English language

Skills

Basic Skills
  • reading work related information
  • figuring out how to use new ideas or things
Problem Solving
  • noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
  • thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
  • figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it

Abilities

Verbal
  • read and understand what is written
  • listen and understand what people say
Ideas and Logic
  • make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
  • use rules to solve problems
Math
  • choose the right type of math to solve a problem
  • add, subtract, multiply, or divide
Attention
  • pay attention to something without being distracted

Personality

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
  • Attention to Detail
  • Cooperation
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Achievement/Effort
  • Dependability
  • Initiative

Technology

You might use software like this on the job:

Analytical or scientific software
  • IBM SPSS Statistics Hot Technology
  • The MathWorks MATLAB Hot Technology
Presentation software
  • Microsoft PowerPoint Hot Technology
Object or component oriented development software
  • Perl Hot Technology
  • R Hot Technology

Education

Education: (rated 4 of 5)
bachelor's degree or
master's degree
usually needed

Get started on your career:

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Job Outlook

Average Outlook
New job opportunities are likely in the future.
Salary
$62,460
$35,460
$144,120
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See more details at O*NET OnLine about bioinformatics technicians.