View Vacancy -- Head of Bioinformatics LMS - 2708

Known internationally for its high quality basic and disease-focused science, the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) houses over 300 research staff and postgraduate students. Sited at Hammersmith Hospital, the LMS forms part of Imperial College’s Institute of Clinical Sciences (ICS), one of five departments of the Faculty of Medicine, and enjoys close links with Imperial College and the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.

The LMS houses a CPU and GPU cluster in addition to making use of wider HPC provisions available from Imperial College. The Bioinformatics Facility works closely with the multidisciplinary research groups and Institute facilities to meet research needs and analysis requirements. The group works with a variety of data types, including bulk and single cell applications of RNAseq, epigenetic techniques, and, increasingly, multiome, and spatial technologies.

The Head of Bioinformatics will proactively design, manage, and develop the Institute’s overall bioinformatics and computational biology strategy and provision in line with current and future requirements. This includes leadership, line management, and direction of the Bioinformatics Facility team, project management of the Facility’s work, and management of its budget. The Head of Bioinformatics will actively engage in data analysis and the development of cutting-edge analysis methodologies as well as providing high-level direction to the Bioinformatics Facility and wider Institute.

Under the Head’s leadership, the Bioinformatics Facility is expected to work with Institute researchers on a wide range of bioinformatics and informatics research and development projects, including genomics and transcriptomics, proteomics, image analysis, and statistics. The ability of the LMS to deliver upon its scientific mission depends upon the effectiveness of this resource.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy Design and Delivery

• Meet regularly with the Senior Leaders, Research Group Heads, the Head of Operations, and Facility Heads to develop and deliver bioinformatics and computational biology in line with strategic and scientific goals of the LMS
• Monitor, measure, report, and promote the work of the Bioinformatics Facility to increase its visibility
• Work with the Head of IT to design, deliver, and maintain current and future infrastructure and software requirements
• Maximise opportunities to network with similar organisations to benchmark services and activities
• Assume responsibility for coordination and provision of bioinformatics training for the LMS
• Manage the Bioinformatics Facility within specified budgets and in line with UKRI and LMC policies

Line Management

• Analyse current capacities and capabilities of the Bioinformatics Facility; develop or recruit staff to meet requirements and to increase resilience in the Facility’s services
• Identify possibilities for internal and external staff training to broaden the Facility’s capabilities
• Identify possibilities for knowledge sharing and upskilling between existing members to increase service resilience
• Demonstrate a culture of continual improvement to help achieve key group and Institute objectives
• Pro-active management to ensure all team members are responsible and accountable for the effectiveness, accuracy, and quality of their work
• Promote a customer-centric service culture focused on individual ownership of work, accountability, communication with users, and recognition of achievements
• Ensure best practices in project management are maintained to ensure work is aligned with defined goals and that projects are managed within agreed benefit, timescale, cost, quality, and risk limits
• Promote opportunities for staff development through professional registration and accreditation
• Ensure awareness of and compliance with existing and changing MRC and UKRI data security frameworks

Technical Activities

• Conduct bioinformatics analyses in collaboration with LMS research groups
• Provide expert assistance to researchers in data interpretation and assist, where required, in manuscript preparation and submission
• data
• Collaborate with affiliated scientists and other researchers within the MRC, Imperial College, within the UK, and abroad
• Present and publish the work of the Bioinformatics Facility in high quality journals and at internal or external meetings and conferences
• Work with the Head of IT to manage day-to-day running of on-site HPC resources
• In line with the ‘3R’s, provide expert guidance to researchers in experimental design, assisting them to formulate appropriate analysis plans, research decisions, and goals
• Continue personal professional development through maintaining awareness of novel advances and developments in the scientific literature

Education, Qualifications, and Training

Essential

• Higher degree in a subject with an extensive analytical component (e.g. Bioinformatics or Molecular Biology)
• Excellent scientific analysis skills demonstrated across varying research areas
• Strong publication record in bioinformatics

Desirable

• Professional registration and accreditation (e.g. CSci or RSci)
• Formal project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2)

Specific Role Competencies

Essential

• Extensive experience delivering bioinformatics analysis projects in a client-facing role
• Deep technical understanding of molecular biology techniques and associated limitations
• Deep technical understanding of bioinformatics analysis techniques and associated limitations
• Expert-level programming skills in R and/or Python
• Extensive experience working with HPC environments
• Discipline and regard for data integrity, confidentiality, and security

People Leadership

Essential

• Experience managing, motivating, and developing staff
• Experience project managing work packages within and between groups
• Experience in resolving complaints and in conflict resolution
• Experience in teaching bioinformatics, programming, statistics, or experimental design

Strategic Thinking

Essential

• Ability to organise and prioritise resources to ensure delivery of short and long-term targets
• Ability to align work and strategy to LMS, MRC, and UKRI goals, brands, and profiles
• Experience leading strategic debate to identify future opportunities
• Ability to use user feedback to make improvements to the delivery and provision of services
• Able to demonstrate clear understanding of the principles and practices of project management

Financial Management

Desirable

• Experience of managing and reviewing budgets, including capital expenditure and personnel
• Experience negotiating for and procuring services and products

Personal Skills, Behaviours, & Qualities

Essential

• Ability to self-motivate, multi-task, and prioritise work effectively
• Ability to develop networks and contacts and to work collaboratively
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Applicants should submit a CV, names and contacts of two scientific references along with a cover letter stating why you are applying for this role (providing evidence against the requirements of the job as per the job description and person specification). Applications without a cover letter will not be accepted. 

Please note that applications may be reviewed by both LMS and Imperial staff