Bioinformatics Software Engineer
SOM Institute of Genome Science
University of Maryland, Baltimore, Baltimore, MD

REQUISITION NUMBER: 3316

BACKGROUND:
The Bioinformatics Software Engineer position is an exciting opportunity to join the Informatics Department at the new Institute for Genome Sciences, a world class institute to support genomic, basic and translational research to improve human health at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine and beyond. We intend to accomplish this goal by leveraging the expertise of our domain experts, computational scientists, and engineers, a state-of-the-art computational facility and our partnerships with other universities and organizations. Primary responsibilities for this position include the development of software and database tools for generation, display and analysis of genomic data.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Maintain daily operation of an engineered analytical system, including preparing queries, extracting data requested by researchers, and arraying data in prescribed formats.
• Take requests for system queries or for enhancements of existing analytical or reporting software and assess requirements for additional software engineering to accomplish task.
• Consulting with managers or senior staff, translate requirements into software specifications.
• Using third generation and advanced programming languages and tools, accomplish specified upgrade, data query or analysis request, or enhancement of operating protocol.
• Confer with scientists or senior staff in unit to determine how scientific inquiries or analyses can be performed more efficiently using current analytical or operating systems and the software that interacts with them.
• Scan other scientific sites performing similar research and analytical activities and track use of innovative tools and methods that are in the published research and in the public domain for possible use in local methods and software development

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering or four years of relevant software engineering experience or education.
• Ability to operate in a UNIX/Linux operating environment.
• Knowledge of one or more programming languages such as Perl, C++, C#, Java, and one or more relational database management systems.
• Familiarity with web technologies such as HTML, CSS, PHP, Ajax.

Abilities and Skills:
BASELINE:

• Provide support to senior-level staff.
• Excellent oral and written communication, presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to keep current with emerging software and programming technologies/techniques.
• Programming skills in appropriate industry standard 3rd and 4th Generation Languages and Tool Sets.
• Ability to support production data management and software pipeline operation.
• Familiarity with object-oriented analysis and programming.
• Familiarity with bioinformatics tools such as sequence similarity, assembly, and alignment tools.

INTERMEDIATE:

• Ability to assess and develop software that interacts with analytical and diagnostic systems such as genomic sequencing systems.
• Ability to use advanced software tools in an innovative fashion to address systems, data analysis and data presentation problems.
• Knowledge of pertinent clinical, medical, or research disciplines to which systems are being applied.
• Knowledge of variety of methods for storing, analyzing, and presenting large data sets.
• Familiarity with object-oriented design.
• Proficiency in object-oriented programming.
• Proficiency in automated unit and system test frameworks and strategies.
• Proficiency with bioinformatics tools such as sequence similarity, assembly, and alignment tools.

ADVANCED:

• Familiarity with some of the various activities of software development process including requirements capture, design, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance.
• Expertise in automated unit and system test frameworks and strategies.
• Ability to work independently and work with other members of the scientific and engineering staff to gather requirements and implement small systems.
• Ability to perform data modeling and database design.
• Ability to develop and implement algorithms for data analysis.

SALARY & COMPENSATION:
Hiring Range: Commensurate with education and experience

DEADLINE:
Filing Deadline: 9/20/08
Re-Posted Date: 7/23/08

HOW TO APPLY:
To learn more about the University of Maryland, Baltimore and to apply for this position, please visit our website at http://www.hr.umaryland.edu/careers
AA/EOE/ADA