SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
Junior Bioinformatics Scientist
2-Year Fixed Term Contract
? Durban
Job Description
A leading research organisation based in Durban is seeking to appoint an experienced Junior Bioinformatics Scientist to support and drive high-impact clinical and translational research initiatives. The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting scientific discovery, multi-omics research, and high-quality data analysis within a dynamic and collaborative research environment.
This position requires strong analytical ability, scientific expertise, and the capacity to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams.
Minimum Requirements
- MSc or PhD in Biological Sciences, Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, or a related field.
- Demonstrated expertise in genomics and bioinformatics.
- Advanced proficiency in data analysis using R, Python, JAVA, or other biostatistical/programming languages.
- Strong background in viral, bacterial, and human genome analysis, including next-generation sequencing platforms and computational workflows.
- Proven publication record and experience contributing to or leading grant applications will be advantageous.
Personal Qualities and Competencies
- Strong attention to detail and analytical skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
- Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams.
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Key Responsibilities
- Support bioinformatics and genomics analyses across various research studies.
- Analyse sequencing datasets, including viral, bacterial, and metagenomic data.
- Assist with the development and optimisation of computational workflows and pipelines.
- Support the preparation of scientific manuscripts, reports, presentations, and grant applications.
- Perform data management, curation, quality control, and statistical modelling using R, Python, Java, or related analytical tools.
- Contribute to scientific initiatives, working groups, and capacity-building programmes.
- Ensure all analyses comply with scientific, ethical, and data governance standards.
