Bioinformatician Jobs

Experts who develop and apply computational tools to analyse biological data. A critical role in the intersection of biology and computer science.

Open roles
5
Salary range
£45k – £66k
Hiring companies
4

Bioinformaticians play a vital role in the biotechnology industry by developing and applying computational tools to analyse complex biological data. They work at the intersection of biology, computer science, and statistics, helping to interpret genomic sequences, protein structures, and other biological information. Bioinformaticians are in high demand across a range of sectors, including pharmaceutical R&D, genomics, and clinical research, where they contribute to the development of new drugs, therapies, and diagnostic tools.

What the role does

Inside the role of a Bioinformatician

A typical week for a bioinformatician is split between coding, data analysis, and collaboration with biologists and other scientists.

  1. 01
    Analyse large datasets using bioinformatics tools and algorithms.
  2. 02
    Develop and optimise computational pipelines for data processing.
  3. 03
    Collaborate with biologists to understand experimental design and data requirements.
  4. 04
    Present findings and insights to interdisciplinary teams.
  5. 05
    Stay updated with the latest research and technological advancements.
  6. 06
    Document and maintain code and analysis workflows.
Salary on the board

£45k – £66k

Based on advertised midpoints across the 3 UK listings priced in pounds in the last 12 months. Base salary only.

Salary visibility
13% of listings advertise a salary — up from 0% the year before.
Skills & tools

What hiring managers ask for

% of 10 listings posted in the last 12 months that mention each skill, extracted from job descriptions.

Bioinformatics
90%
Python
40%
Genomics
30%
Linux
30%
Git
30%
R
30%
HPC
30%
Computational Biology
20%
Machine Learning
20%
Data Integration
20%
Sequence Analysis
20%
Data Curation
20%
Career ladder

From Junior to Principal

A typical UK progression for bioinformaticians. Years are guidance — strong people move faster, and many senior folks sidestep into research, product or management.

  1. Level 1

    Junior Bioinformatician

    0–2 yrs

    Assist in data analysis and pipeline development under supervision. Contribute to small projects and tasks.

  2. Level 2

    Bioinformatician

    2–5 yrs

    Lead data analysis for specific projects. Develop and maintain computational pipelines. Collaborate with cross-functional teams.

  3. Level 3

    Senior Bioinformatician

    5–8 yrs

    Oversee multiple projects and mentor junior team members. Contribute to strategic planning and research direction.

  4. Level 4

    Principal Bioinformatician

    8+ yrs

    Lead the bioinformatics team, drive innovation, and influence the organisation's research and development strategy.

Pathway

How to become a Bioinformatician

There's no single route, but most people follow some version of these steps.

  1. 1

    Academic Foundation

    Gain a strong foundation in biology, computer science, and statistics through a relevant degree programme.

  2. 2

    Specialised Training

    Pursue specialised training or a master's degree in bioinformatics to deepen your expertise.

  3. 3

    Entry-Level Role

    Start your career as a junior bioinformatician, working on data analysis and pipeline development.

  4. 4

    Advanced Skills

    Develop advanced skills in data analysis, software development, and project management.

  5. 5

    Leadership Position

    Progress to a senior or principal bioinformatician role, leading projects and teams.

  6. 6

    Strategic Influence

    Influence the strategic direction of the organisation through innovative research and leadership.

Live jobs

5 live roles

Ellison Institute of Technology logo

Bioinformatician - Plant Biology Institute

4 months ago

Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford

Develop and apply computational methods to analyse complex plant genomes, building pipelines for genome assembly, annotation and variant analysis. Work closely with bioinformatics engineers and research scientists to translate biological questions into reproducible workflows and prioritise targets for crop engineering.

On-site Permanent
University of Cambridge logo

Genomics Bioinformatician

Last week

University of Cambridge Cambridge £42,254 – £56,535 pa

Manage a small sub-team fulfilling genomic data requests, defining cohorts from genomic profiles and delivering datasets to researchers. Work spans LINUX/UNIX, HPC, scripting in Python, R and Bash, Git, and database management, with datasets moving from CSD3 to AWS and a commercial bioinformatics platform. Also contributes to wider Bioinformatics team activities.

On-site Contract

Clinical Bioinformatician - 18040 (3)

2 weeks ago

Talentmark Slough £37 – £50 ph

Process, analyse and interpret omics data from clinical portfolio studies to uncover biological mechanisms, treatment effects and safety signals. Develop analysis pipelines using state-of-the-art tools, document reproducible code for patient-level data, and write reports and scientific publications. Requires strong bulk and single-cell RNAseq expertise, R, HPC/Unix and Docker skills.

Hybrid Contract Clearance Required

Senior Bioinformatician

2 weeks ago

Talentmark Bracknell £37 – £49 ph

Analyse large-scale single-cell, bulk transcriptomics and other omics datasets, and develop new computational methods to extract biological insight. Build scalable, well-tested software and workflows for atlas-scale data (millions of cells) and high-dimensional proteomics, acting as the analytical point of contact in multidisciplinary collaborations from analysis plan through to publication or portfolio decision.

Hybrid Contract Clearance Required

Ensembl Microbes Bioinformatician

Last week

EMBL-EBI Saffron Walden £3,452 pm

Maintains microbial genomes in Ensembl, loading new annotations, coordinating releases and diagnosing data issues. Develops functional annotation and pangenome pipelines, evaluates taxon-specific annotation tools, and builds Nextflow or Snakemake workflows with Python, relational databases and HPC or cloud infrastructure.

Hybrid Contract
Hiring locations

Where this role is hiring

The locations with the most live listings for this role today.

FAQs

Common questions

  • A degree in biology, computer science, or a related field is essential. Specialised training or a master's degree in bioinformatics is highly beneficial.

  • Key skills include programming, data analysis, statistical knowledge, and the ability to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams.

  • Bioinformaticians are hired by pharmaceutical companies, research institutions, biotech startups, and academic institutions.

  • Salaries vary based on experience and location. For specific salary ranges, refer to the salary section on this page.

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