Bioinformatics Technicians
People classed as Bioinformatics Technicians 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. The skills rated most useful are reading comprehension, writing, and judgment and decision making. One core duty is to conduct quality analyses of data inputs and resulting analyses or predictions. With a code of ICR, this is mostly a job for people drawn to research, analysis and working through hard problems. Conventional interests also help, rated 6.0 out of 7. Getting in usually takes a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience, a level O*NET calls considerable preparation. It tends to suit people who want research, analysis and working through hard problems, and it offers little for anyone seeking leading, persuading and making business decisions.
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.
Main tasks
- Conduct quality analyses of data inputs and resulting analyses or predictions.
- Confer with researchers, clinicians, or information technology staff to determine data needs and programming requirements and to provide assistance with database-related research activities.
- Analyze or manipulate bioinformatics data using software packages, statistical applications, or data mining techniques.
- Document all database changes, modifications, or problems.
- Monitor database performance and perform any necessary maintenance, upgrades, or repairs.
- Participate in the preparation of reports or scientific publications.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Active Listening
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You like clear rules and getting the details right.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and writing.
May not suit you if
- You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
- You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code ICR takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Biocurator
- Bioinformatics Analyst
- Bioinformatics Data Analyst
- Bioinformatics Specialist
- Biotechnician
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.