COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGIST SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, AND JOB REQUIREMENTS

Updated: Dec 24, 2024 - The Computational Biologist possesses extensive expertise in cancer biology, computational biology, and diagnostics, with a strong foundation in molecular biology and experience in leveraging statistical and machine learning algorithms for biological discovery. This position requires proficiency in analyzing high-throughput genomic and proteomic data using tools like Python, R, and C/C++, alongside familiarity with public databases such as ENCODE and TCGA. The biologist is also adept at working in cross-functional teams, with excellent communication skills to convey complex scientific concepts to diverse audiences.

Essential Hard and Soft Skills for a Standout Computational Biologist Resume
  • Bioinformatics
  • Genomic Data Analysis
  • Python Programming
  • R Programming
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Machine Learning
  • Data Visualization
  • NGS Data Processing
  • Molecular Biology Techniques
  • Computational Modeling
  • Critical Thinking
  • Problem-Solving
  • Collaboration
  • Attention to Detail
  • Communication
  • Time Management
  • Adaptability
  • Creativity
  • Analytical Thinking
  • Leadership

Summary of Computational Biologist Knowledge and Qualifications on Resume

1. BS in Bioinformatics with 6 years of Experience

  • Experience in the analysis of large genomic datasets
  • Understanding of Agilent technologies and instrumentation.
  • Working experience with Cloud computing.
  • Experience in the industrial research environment.
  • Strong statistical background for association analysis and model construction
  • Excellent programming skills in R
  • Good communication and presentation skills, with capacity for high-quality visualization
  • Knowledge of autoimmunity, immune repertoire, network analysis and statistics applied to Machine Learning
  • Ability to work in a team and pursue goals in a focused way
  • A highly stimulating environment with the use of state-of-the-art technologies and unique career development
  • Must be a team player and willing to help and ask for help

2. BS in Computational Biology with 7 years of Experience

  • Passion for breaking barriers in computational biology.
  • Sequence analysis experience in one or more of the following specialties which are increasingly data-intensive - evolutionary biology, microbiology, protein engineering, virology, and immunology.
  • Proven track record of translating computational analyses into testable experimental hypotheses.
  • Expertise with NGS data and associated bioinformatics tools
  • Experience with cloud environments such as AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, etc.
  • Proficiency with Python/R, associated analyses and visualization packages as well as the command line.
  • Expertise with good practices for reproducible research (git, Jupyter)
  • Creative thinking, and problem-solving skills.
  • Highly organized with attention to detail.
  • Strong quantitative and analytical skills, and a proclivity for reasoning from first principles.
  • Ability to set priorities and meet deadlines, and adapt to changing projects and goals.

3. BS in Genomics with 9 years of Experience

  • Hands-on experience in the area of oncology or oncogenomics
  • Expertise in computational tools and pipelines for data analysis including NGS data, RNAseq, WES, and WGS, single-cell sequencing
  • Knowledge of diverse types of omics data such as genomic alterations, transcriptome profiling, copy number profiling, as well as data from various proteomics platforms
  • Experience in other biomarker (eg, PCR/IHC) analysis 
  • Solid understanding of statistical analysis principles and expert user of statistical data analysis tools/packages, such as R/bioconductor, python, Matlab, or equivalent
  • Strong computational and engineering skills including database and software development training/experience
  • Ability to independently manipulate large datasets in Unix/Linux environment, experience with AWS 
  • Experience with Real World Data (RWD) 
  • Must be a quick learner with strong curiosity, and stay at the forefront of technologies in the area of computational biology and genomics
  • Proficiency in common cancer genomics/bioinformatics databases and tools
  • Ability to understand real-world problems thoroughly and propose fit-for-purpose solutions to the right question, ability to independently design and perform diverse bioinformatics tasks to answer questions impactful for projects

4. BS in Molecular Biology with 7 years of Experience

  • Deep content knowledge and experience at the intersection between biology and computer science
  • Track record of developing new methods, tools, or programs in or related to computational biology
  • Exposure to R&D workflows, software, and decision-making (e.g., gene prioritization, network science), as well as scientific research
  • Deep expertise in NGS/genomics/genetics/genome topology/mutation interpretation, transcriptomics/RNA-seq/scRNA-seq/splicing, etc.
  • Deep expertise in epigenetics/epigenomics - systems biology, network pharmacology, molecular signaling, etc.
  • Deep expertise in structural biology, structural informatics, biophysics, molecular dynamics, etc.
  • Deep expertise in bioinformatics/biomedical informatics
  • Experience in Python, R, and state-of-the-art machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch and PyMC3/Tensorflow Probability
  • Experience working in distributed and cloud environments including GPUs
  • Experience working in Linux/UNIX environment
  • A quick and scrappy learner who adapts well to a fast-moving environment and gets things done, combining creativity, problem-solving skills, and a can-do attitude to overcome any obstacle

5. BS in Biostatistics with 8 years of Experience

  • Extensive experience in biological image analysis. 
  • Familiarity with feature detection and computer vision concepts, especially image segmentation and pixel classification methods
  • Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, and R.
  • Experience with using Cellprofiler and ImageJ, especially writing custom modules for Cellprofiler and custom macros/plugins for ImageJ.
  • Ability to implement high-performance/parallel computing and version control.
  • Experience in analyzing single-molecule, spatial omics, high-content screening, or single-cell sequencing data.
  • Experience in designing, developing, and maintaining bioinformatic pipelines for bulk genomic and transcriptomic datasets.
  • Expertise in OpenCV, artificial intelligence and machine learning tools for image analysis.
  • Understanding of business problems and how to build end-to-end analytics use cases tied to business value
  • Ability to provide thought leadership by researching best practices, conducting experiments, and collaborating with industry leaders
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills along with a strong desire to work in cross-functional teams

6. BS in Systems Biology with 9 years of Experience

  • Scientific initiative and discipline as evidenced, for example, by peer-reviewed publications.
  • Excellent track record of working successfully as part of a multi-disciplinary team including biologists, chemists and/or engineers. 
  • The ability to quickly adapt to the demands of rapidly developing collaborative projects.
  • Ability to translate publicly available knowledge from resources such as databases of functional genomic elements, protein design and structure, and tools for gene editing design, into specific impactful workflows and designs.
  • Good understanding of molecular biology, biochemistry, and related subjects.
  • Attention to detail and demonstrated enthusiasm for developing a deep and thorough understanding of complex data sets, and for translating statistical and algorithmic results into leading-edge biological or measurement insights.
  • Demonstrate NGS data analysis experience, including proficiency in publicly available tools.
  • Demonstrate expertise in the development, implementation, and application of novel life science data analysis algorithms
  • Expertise in programming languages such as Python and/or Java, Matlab and/or R.
  • Hands-on experience and proficiency in working in Linux and Git environments.
  • Demonstrated excellent code development practices.

7. BS in Genetics with 8 years of Experience

  • Strong bioinformatics analysis pipeline and web-based application development skills
  • Experience in bioinformatics software engineering and/or complex system management
  • Competent in using Linux/Unix operating system command line interface.
  • Proficiency in at least two of the following programming languages - Perl, Python, R, Java and C/C++
  • Familiarity with relational database design, data warehousing, and data modeling (e.g. MySQL)
  • Experience in web application development, familiar with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery, Django, or other web frameworks.
  • Experience with Nextflow, WDL, or other workflow management systems
  • Demonstrated experience with writing technical documentation of software
  • Experience with data visualization as an effective way of presenting and communicating results
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with a proven record of interacting with bench scientists effectively

8. BS in Biotechnology with 7 years of Experience

  • Data analytics experience in a computational biologics or bioinformatics role in industry or academia
  • Solid understanding and command of machine-learning techniques
  • Experience analyzing large datasets and patient cohorts
  • Understanding or familiarity with directly implementing computational modeling approaches to systems biology such as Bayesian inference, deterministic PDEs, or Random Forest classification
  • Experience in R, Python, or a similar statistical programming language
  • Experience in database management systems using SQL (or PostgreSQL)
  • Strong organizational, analytical, problem-solving, root-cause-analysis, and troubleshooting skills
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Cell and gene therapy analytics experience, specifically with Next Generation Sequencing data and cell engineering efficiency analysis
  • Ability to work within a diverse workforce and provide a positive and motivational work environment
  • Strong soft skills to interface with and between the Biology and Engineering teams

9. BS in Data Science with 6 years of Experience

  • Hands-on experience in molecular biology or biochemistry techniques in the context of interdisciplinary research. 
  • Experience working with oligonucleotide, plasmid, or vector libraries
  • Expertise in advanced genomics applications, such as high throughput functional genomics, genome editing and control, and/or protein engineering.
  • Experience in analyzing RNA-Seq data
  • Comfortable with asking questions and brainstorming out-of-the-box approaches
  • Initiative and ability to implement alternative or new approaches to data analysis by adapting from other industries and fields
  • Entrepreneurial and comfortable in a fast-paced environment
  • Ability to adapt to shifting constraints while maintaining high performance and morale
  • Self-motivated and collaborative, capable of independent investigation, and with excellent time management
  • Creative and adaptable in identifying and implementing best practices across the team
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills for a broad technical audience.

10. BS in Biomedical Engineering with 7 years of Experience

  • Strong publication record and/or strongly relevant work experience
  • Experience with the development and application of tools for analysis of guide RNAs and CRISPR-Cas / TALENs/ zinc finger nucleases including all steps for the analysis of gene editing data (on-target, off-target, translocation)
  • A demonstrated record of authoring research and regulatory reports to support IND and BLA filings
  • Familiarity with multiple NGS applications in gene editing and genome modification such as TIDE, ICE, CITE-Seq, GUIDE-Seq
  • Experience with AWS or similar cloud computing platforms
  • Experience with workflow languages such as Nextflow
  • Demonstrated proficiency in git, Python and/or R
  • Strong scientific background including an understanding of molecular biology and genomics
  • Demonstrated strong analytical, problem-solving abilities and decision-making skills
  • Must be detail-oriented, self-motivated, flexible, and able to prioritize and manage several fast-paced projects concurrently
  • Outstanding verbal and written communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences

11. BS in Computer Science with 9 years of Experience

  • Extensive knowledge of cancer biology, and experience leveraging this knowledge for problems in cancer computational biology and diagnostics.
  • Industry experience applying computational biology to biological discovery and product development.
  • Experience in developing and applying statistical and/or machine learning algorithms.
  • Expertise with biological and genomic data, tools, and public databases (e.g. ENCODE, TCGA, Blueprint, Cosmic).
  • Fundamental understanding of the central dogma, including a background in molecular biology, cancer biology, and familiarity with the regulation of molecular processes.
  • Experience in the analysis of high-throughput, quantitative technologies in genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, or transcriptomics (e.g. Hi-C, ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, MS).
  • Strong quantitative reasoning and statistical analysis skills, with a demonstrated ability to apply them effectively to relevant scientific problems.
  • Strong computational and programming skills, including thorough experience with Python statistical packages (Numpy, Matplotlib, Pandas), and equivalents in other languages like R or C/C++
  • Familiarity working in a Linux server-based environment.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills to communicate to both scientific and broader audiences.
  • Ability to work on a cross-functional team in our highly collaborative environment, working with both computational and experimental scientists.
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