Computational Biologist/Bioinformatician
- Posted 29 July 2025
- Salary Grade 6/7, £33,482 - £37,174 / £40,497 - £45,413 per annum
- LocationGlasgow
- Job Type Research and Teaching
- Reference178592
- Expiry 25 August 2025 at 23:45
Job description
Job Purpose
The post holder will join the Bioinformatics team at the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) (https://bioinformatics.cvr.ac.uk) to carry out research on virus infection of cells. Our computational team supports the research activities of both experimental and computational scientists within the CVR (https://cvr.ac.uk). The postholder will contribute to the analysis of antiviral host-mechanisms and comparative virology datasets, including those derived from transcriptomics experiments. The role will also involve the application of machine learning approaches to virus omics data. Experience with methodologies that complement the current team’s expertise – such as single-cell or spatial transcriptomics, complex data integration, drug target identification, or advanced statistical modelling – would be a distinct advantage.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. Work independently or, as required, with others to support CVR research programmes by providing appropriate bioinformatics, biostatistics and machine learning expertise.
2. Perform research using bioinformatics and computational approaches applied to virus and infected host cell data, in particular, transcriptomics data.
3. Plan and conduct assigned research individually or jointly in accordance with the project deliverables, and contribute to the delivery of the project’s research objectives and research outputs.
4. Develop and enhance your individual research profile and reputation and that of the University of Glasgow, including writing and contributing to publications to communicate findings.
5. Contribute to the presentation of work at international and national conferences, seminars, and workshops to develop and enhance our research profile.
6. Engage in continuing professional development activities as appropriate to enhance both specialist and relevant skills to the role.
7. Keep up-to-date with relevant bioinformatics and virus literature and develop expertise in bioinformatics and machine learning appled to virus and infected-host cell datasets.
8. Contribute to the supervision, mentoring and training of undergraduate or postgraduate students and less experienced members of the project team to ensure their effective development.
9. Contribute specialist knowledge to virus genomics and bioinformatics training courses.
10. Contribute to the enhancement of the University’s international profile in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, World Changers Together.
For Appointment at Grade 7
11. Perform the above duties with a higher degree of independence, leadership and responsibility, particularly in relation to planning, funding, collaborating and publishing research.
12. Help develop and maintain external collaborations, nationally and internationally in line with the project goals.
13. A track record of independent and joint published research to establish and maintain your expert reputation in the subject and related areas.
14. Sustain an international profile for the project through presentation of results at national and international conferences.
These key tasks are not intended to be exhaustive but simply highlight a number of major tasks the staff member may reasonably be expected to perform. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities evolve.
Please note that as part of your application you must address and demonstrate how you meet the essential/desirable criteria. If you do not address each criterion in the format explained below you will not be shortlisted for interview.
Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Qualifications/Knowledge
Essential:
A1. Scottish Credit and Qualification level 10 (Honours degree) in a relevant subject such as computer science, statistics, machine learning, and/or mathematics, ideally with experience of (or jointly with) a biological domain; may be working towards a relevant post-graduate qualification such as a Masters (Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 11) or PhD (Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 12).Or Equivalent professional qualifications in a relevant academic/research discipline, and experience of personal development in a similar role.
Desirable:
B1. Masters and/or PhD level training in a relevant field.
For Appointment at Grade 7:
A2. Normally Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 12 (PhD) in a relevant subject such as computer science, statistics, machine learning computational research and/or bioinformatics in a similar or related role plus track record of emerging independence within a research/professional environment, or alternatively possess professional qualifications and experience equivalent to PhD level plus the requisite experience.
Skills
Essential:
C1. Excellent bioinformatics/computational biology skills.
C2. Demonstrated knowledge of biostatistics and/or machine learning applied to complex data integration projects.
C3. Excellent data analysis and research skills.
C4. Ability to write software and analytical pipelines appropriate to research projects.
C5. Excellent time and project management skills.
C6. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
C7. Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills.
C8. Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
C9. Ability to communicate highly complex/technical information and data verbally and in writing for a range of audiences.
C10. Demonstrated high quality research outputs.
C11. Understanding and experience of relevant biological datasets.
For Appointment at Grade 7:
C12. Demonstrated ability to deliver on competing research projects.
C13. Demonstrated ability to contribute to published research articles.
Experience
Essential:
E1. Experience of bioinformatics/computational biology research ideally applied to virus data.
E2. Experience of application of biostatistics and/or machine learning methods to biological data.
E3. Experience in analysis of genomics and transcriptomics data.
E4. Experience in Unix/Linux operating systems.
E5. Experience in a programming or a scripting language, ideally, Python.
E6. Track record in the writing software for data processing and analysis.
E7. Experience in writing scientific reports, projects or publications.
E8. Experience of delivering research/technical support seminars.
E9. Experience of optimising the presentation and dissemination of complex results/data.
E10. Experience of communicating with researchers to understand the bioinformatics analysis requirements and explain the techniques used and results generated.
For Appointment at Grade 7:
E11. Advanced breadth and/or depth of knowledge in the specialist subject/discipline, including independence illustrated by bioinformatics/computational input to biological projects.
E12. Experience of leading on highly complex data analysis including use of biostastics or machine learning expertise.
Desirable:
F1. Experience of analysis of single-cell and/or spatial transcriptomics datasets.
F2. Experience of data integration
F3. Experience of drug-target identification.
Additional Details
We are seeking to appoint a computational biologist/bioinformatician to work in our bioinformatics team. CVR Bioinformatics is a group of computer-based researchers embedded in the MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research (CVR) led by Prof David L Robertson. We work in close alignment with the CVR’s Genomics team led by Dr Ana Filipe. Together CVR Genomics and Bioinformatics form the MRC-funded Integrative Virus Genomics and Bioinformatics platform with the shared mission to support CVR researchers and external collaborators, perform independent research and provide resources to the wider virology community. As a team virus bioinformatics leads in the development of novel bioinformatics/ computational biology solutions for the study of viruses and virus-host interactions. Uniquely in the UK, our bioinformaticians are solely dedicated to virology and are experts in a wide range of topics relevant to CVR research priorities. We have expertise in analysing next generation sequencing data, metagenomics, transcriptomics, data integration, molecular evolution and phylogenetics, software engineering and database development.
The post is suited to a highly motivated individual preferably with a Masters and or PhD level training in a relevant field, driven by scientific curiosity in the domain of virus research. The successful candidate will have a track record in data integration and analysis of omics datasets with an excellent understanding of computional biology, bioinformatics, statistics and/or machine learning ideally applied to pathogen data. Experience with single-cell, spatial transcriptomics datasets and integrated analysis of large datasets would be a distinct advantage.
This position is available on a full-time basis from September 2025 to March 2027 in the first instance.
Informal enquiries may be directed to Joseph Hughes joseph.hughes@glasgow.ac.uk or
David L Robertson, david.l.robertson@glasgow.ac.uk.
Terms and Conditions
Salary will be Grade 6/7, £33,482- £37,174/£40,497- £45,413 per annum
This position is full time and has funding until 31 March 2027 in the first instance.
The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.
3 A flexible approach to working.
4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.
Closing Date: 25 August 2025 at 23:45