Job summary
This is senior leadership position within the SE GLH Service Team and will be responsible for directing and managing all aspects of the bioinformatics activity in the GLH and associated laboratories. The GLH Bioinformatics Lead is accountable to the GLH Management Board, the South East GMS Partnership Board and GSTT.
The GLH Bioinformatics Lead will provide strategic leadership for developing and validating new bioinformatics tools in line with the NHSE vision for a patient centred Genomic Medicine Service as well as other national and international legislation and initiatives.
Main duties of the job
The GLH Bioinformatics Lead will work with the GLH IT director to ensure a suitable IT and IG infrastructure for the safe management of large data sets and will be accountable for the standardisation of robust bioinformatics processes across the South East GLH.
They will be responsible for leading the Synnovis bioinformatics team, working to support the aims of both the GLH and Synnovis, working closely with the Synnovis Bioinformatics Operation Lead. They will also work with the other organisations within SEGLH to ensure alignment of services for the GLH.
They will be accountable for optimising and streamlining workflows to simplify and speed up data analysis, optimise storage and access to large and growing datasets for rare disease and cancer to aid interpretation and integrated reporting.
The post holder will be expected to have significant engagement with colleagues at a national level, contributing to and influencing bioinformatics developments for the NHSE GMS.
The post holder will also be responsible for supporting and delivering training components to develop the next generation of scientists and bioinformaticians. This role requires a significant engagement across the South East GLH and bioinformatics leadership at a regional and national level and thus excellent communication, interpersonal, leadership and negotiating skills are required.
About us
South East Genomic Laboratory Hub
The South East Genomic Laboratory Hub (GLH), along with the South East Genomic Medicine Service Alliance (GMSA), is part of the South East GMS Partnership Network, established as a key element of the national genomic medicine service being implemented by NHS England to enable the NHS to fully benefit from advances in genomics and to build on the success of the 100,000 Genomes Project.
Synnovis
Synnovis is a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose and is part of SYNLAB Group, Europe's leading provider of laboratory diagnostic services. Working in partnership with Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospitals, King's College Hospital, Princess Royal University Hospital and local CCG networks, we aim to set the standard for the future of pathology.
This role is based in Synnovis Analytics which is responsible for the provision of Pathology testing services to Synnovis' patients and customers.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Professional Responsibilities
- Accountable for the day to day management and continuous improvement of the bioinformatics pipelines for data analysis and management of large datasets.
- Steer the development of bioinformatics systems and ensure systems across the consortium meet the technical requirements of the service, as well as any contractual obligations.
- Accountable for the standardisation of bioinformatics processes across the South East GLH
- Responsible for strategic development of the bioinformatics service ensuring that it remains at the cutting edge of bioinformatics practice.
- Accountable for the implementation of improved bioinformatics and data management tools seamlessly across the South East GLH
- Responsible for collaborating with clinicians and scientists to ensure that bioinformatics tools meet the requirements of the user and support new innovations and research developments.
- To evaluate results and data from the bioinformatics pipeline and the interrogation of the pipeline in response to complex findings and recommendations of options for alternative bioinformatics analysis where appropriate
- Report result outcomes and provide specialist advice to clinicians, investigators and scientists in clinical/scientific development.
IT and Data storage
- Working closely with the GLH Informatics Director and local IT departments to ensure continued network support
- Support the GLH Informatics Director in the development and provision of IT systems to respond to local, regional and national leads
- Responsible for developing and maintaining effective databases for storage of scientific and clinical information and diagnostic test results
- To oversee the continuous improvement cycle of databases
- Work with the IT Director and local users to support generation of integrated reports and automatic reporting and issue of simple results.
Quality Assurance and Information Governance
- Responsible for ensuring the bioinformatics pipelines and processes are compliant with all relevant regulatory standards (e.g. ISO 15189:2012) and accreditation bodies
- Work closely with the GLH Quality Manager to continuously review and enhance bioinformatics SOPs in line with necessary local and national quality standards
- Ensure the bioinformatics function adheres to local and national information governance policies and requirements
Strategic Leadership and Partnerships
- To provide strategic advice to national genomics working groups.
- Liaising and advising with national working groups to inform and steer bioinformatics policy, practice and training
- Implement nationally agreed recommendations
- To work closely with Genomics England to support and enhance their clinical interpretation services
- Attend the GLH Management Group and the Informatics Working Group
- Chair the GLH Bioinformatics Sub-Committee
Research and Development
- Undertake collaborative research and development on new bioinformatics applications for variant assessment, e.g. the use of AI, as well as the development of bioinformatics for new technologies
- Maintain awareness of relevant and up-to-date scientific research and literature
- Participate and present relevant research to internal and external stakeholders to facilitate research and development
Financial and Commercial Management
- Work with the GLH Management Group and local Laboratory leads to identify and manage the financial budget required to implement and maintain the bioinformatics, data management and storage systems
- Work with local laboratory teams to develop robust business cases for review by the GLH Management Group
- Evaluate the cost effectiveness of new services and technologies when compared to existing services and recommend new investments where required.
- Contribute to business planning for the GLH forecasting IT cost pressures resulting from the developing service and identify cost improvement plans facilitated by bioinformatics processes.
Communications
- Communicate specialist, complex work and data analysis results to a spectrum of researchers, clinicians and other users, including those non-specialists with little or no bioinformatics expertise.
- To provide technical advice to clinical scientists in the interpretation of highly complex data from the bioinformatics pipeline
Training
- Delivery of training programmes (STP & HSST) for bioinformatics
- Monitor the performance, and undertake in service training, of staff attached to the work area and participate in the development of training strategies
- To provide training in processing and analysis of genetic and genomics data
- Responsible for educating the genomics clinical scientist workforce in the use of bioinformatics tools
Personal Development
- Maintaining awareness of new developments and ensuring the data analytics capacity of the South East GLH is utilising the most up-to-date bioinformatics tools as appropriate.
- Responsible for maintaining an up-to-date knowledge-base while demonstrating advanced competencies through a personalised Continued Professional Development portfolio.
- Lead by example, provide leadership and act as a positive role model for all staff taking responsibility for your own personal development.
- Maintain personal standards of conduct and behaviour which are consistent with Trust standards and requirements.
- Ensure that professional knowledge is continuously updated and training undertaken if appropriate
- Participate in an annual individual performance review process where objectives will be agreed, performance monitored and personal development needs discussed
Job description
Job responsibilities
Professional Responsibilities
- Accountable for the day to day management and continuous improvement of the bioinformatics pipelines for data analysis and management of large datasets.
- Steer the development of bioinformatics systems and ensure systems across the consortium meet the technical requirements of the service, as well as any contractual obligations.
- Accountable for the standardisation of bioinformatics processes across the South East GLH
- Responsible for strategic development of the bioinformatics service ensuring that it remains at the cutting edge of bioinformatics practice.
- Accountable for the implementation of improved bioinformatics and data management tools seamlessly across the South East GLH
- Responsible for collaborating with clinicians and scientists to ensure that bioinformatics tools meet the requirements of the user and support new innovations and research developments.
- To evaluate results and data from the bioinformatics pipeline and the interrogation of the pipeline in response to complex findings and recommendations of options for alternative bioinformatics analysis where appropriate
- Report result outcomes and provide specialist advice to clinicians, investigators and scientists in clinical/scientific development.
IT and Data storage
- Working closely with the GLH Informatics Director and local IT departments to ensure continued network support
- Support the GLH Informatics Director in the development and provision of IT systems to respond to local, regional and national leads
- Responsible for developing and maintaining effective databases for storage of scientific and clinical information and diagnostic test results
- To oversee the continuous improvement cycle of databases
- Work with the IT Director and local users to support generation of integrated reports and automatic reporting and issue of simple results.
Quality Assurance and Information Governance
- Responsible for ensuring the bioinformatics pipelines and processes are compliant with all relevant regulatory standards (e.g. ISO 15189:2012) and accreditation bodies
- Work closely with the GLH Quality Manager to continuously review and enhance bioinformatics SOPs in line with necessary local and national quality standards
- Ensure the bioinformatics function adheres to local and national information governance policies and requirements
Strategic Leadership and Partnerships
- To provide strategic advice to national genomics working groups.
- Liaising and advising with national working groups to inform and steer bioinformatics policy, practice and training
- Implement nationally agreed recommendations
- To work closely with Genomics England to support and enhance their clinical interpretation services
- Attend the GLH Management Group and the Informatics Working Group
- Chair the GLH Bioinformatics Sub-Committee
Research and Development
- Undertake collaborative research and development on new bioinformatics applications for variant assessment, e.g. the use of AI, as well as the development of bioinformatics for new technologies
- Maintain awareness of relevant and up-to-date scientific research and literature
- Participate and present relevant research to internal and external stakeholders to facilitate research and development
Financial and Commercial Management
- Work with the GLH Management Group and local Laboratory leads to identify and manage the financial budget required to implement and maintain the bioinformatics, data management and storage systems
- Work with local laboratory teams to develop robust business cases for review by the GLH Management Group
- Evaluate the cost effectiveness of new services and technologies when compared to existing services and recommend new investments where required.
- Contribute to business planning for the GLH forecasting IT cost pressures resulting from the developing service and identify cost improvement plans facilitated by bioinformatics processes.
Communications
- Communicate specialist, complex work and data analysis results to a spectrum of researchers, clinicians and other users, including those non-specialists with little or no bioinformatics expertise.
- To provide technical advice to clinical scientists in the interpretation of highly complex data from the bioinformatics pipeline
Training
- Delivery of training programmes (STP & HSST) for bioinformatics
- Monitor the performance, and undertake in service training, of staff attached to the work area and participate in the development of training strategies
- To provide training in processing and analysis of genetic and genomics data
- Responsible for educating the genomics clinical scientist workforce in the use of bioinformatics tools
Personal Development
- Maintaining awareness of new developments and ensuring the data analytics capacity of the South East GLH is utilising the most up-to-date bioinformatics tools as appropriate.
- Responsible for maintaining an up-to-date knowledge-base while demonstrating advanced competencies through a personalised Continued Professional Development portfolio.
- Lead by example, provide leadership and act as a positive role model for all staff taking responsibility for your own personal development.
- Maintain personal standards of conduct and behaviour which are consistent with Trust standards and requirements.
- Ensure that professional knowledge is continuously updated and training undertaken if appropriate
- Participate in an annual individual performance review process where objectives will be agreed, performance monitored and personal development needs discussed
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A principal/consultant clinical scientist bioinformatician
- PhD or equivalent in bioinformatics or equivalent postgraduate qualification
- Track record of relevant publications/book chapters in peer reviewed journals
Desirable
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development
Registration
Essential
- Registered with the HCPC as clinical scientist of equivalent experience
Skills
Essential
- Expert knowledge in using scientific software packages
- Knowledge of human genetics
Desirable
- Current clinical genomics research activity and publications
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of developing, advising on and implementing bioinformatics solutions in the Genomics setting in an accredited/regulated environment for both rare disease and cancer
- Extensive experience at handling and interpreting genomics data including and up to the level of WGS
Desirable
- Prior hands on experience as a bench scientist
- Experience of delivering national bioinformatics training programmes
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A principal/consultant clinical scientist bioinformatician
- PhD or equivalent in bioinformatics or equivalent postgraduate qualification
- Track record of relevant publications/book chapters in peer reviewed journals
Desirable
- Evidence of Continuing Professional Development
Registration
Essential
- Registered with the HCPC as clinical scientist of equivalent experience
Skills
Essential
- Expert knowledge in using scientific software packages
- Knowledge of human genetics
Desirable
- Current clinical genomics research activity and publications
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience of developing, advising on and implementing bioinformatics solutions in the Genomics setting in an accredited/regulated environment for both rare disease and cancer
- Extensive experience at handling and interpreting genomics data including and up to the level of WGS
Desirable
- Prior hands on experience as a bench scientist
- Experience of delivering national bioinformatics training programmes
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
