Bioinformatics Carrier Opportunities | BioGem.Org

Bioinformatics is the somewhat new and rather unfortunate term that is commonly employed for referring to the use of computers in biological research. Bioinformatics now looks like a hot cake. The number of jobs advertised for bioinformatics in Nature and Science magazine has increased by 96% bioinformatics job advertisements. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for biological scientists, including bioinformatics scientists, was about $71,000 in 2011. Expected job growth for scientists in this category (including biochemists and biophysicists) is 31% between 2010 and 2020. According to BLS data, bioinformatics technicians are included under the umbrella of statistical assistants, whose mean salary was about $39,000 in 2011. The Department of Labor reports bioinformatics technicians will have job growth of 3% to 9% between 2010 and 2020. According to PayScale.com, however, the median salary for biotechnology research scientists with bioinformatics knowledge was much higher, Rs. 1,500,000 per year as of March 2013. According to Indeed.Com data, the average earnings for bioinformaticist were $74,000 per year as of 2013.

Pros and Cons of a Bioinformaticist Career

Bioinformatics is an evolving, interdisciplinary field, so youll need strong skills in several areas. Many bioinformaticists are scientists, but there are technician/analyst positions available as well. While you can make a higher-than-average salary in this field, you will likely need to complete a graduate degree program to meet professional requirements.

Pros of a Bioinformaticist Career

Cons of a Bioinformaticist Career

Education Requirements for Bioinformaticist

According to job listings on CareerBuilder and Monster.Com, many bioinformatics positions require a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree, although some may require a masters or a bachelors degree. A number of universities offer interdisciplinary degree programs in bioinformatics; for example, it may be a joint program run by the department of computer sciences and the department of biology. Course work in these integrated programs might cover computer science, genetics, engineering, biology, math and medicine.

Positions that would require you to design or develop new programs and methods for studying databases usually require a doctoral degree. Jobs where you would help researchers access the genetic information in a database and / or maintain and update databases may require a bachelors, masters or Ph.D., depending on the position.

Essential Skills Required for a Bioinformaticist

Employers dont always require a degree in bioinformatics and often accept applicants with degrees in a related area, such as mathematics, computer science or biophysics. However, because bioinformatics generally spans several fields, you may need working knowledge or experience in areas not specifically covered by your degree. A bioinformaticist must have the following skills to have better opportunities:

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Bioinformatics Carrier Opportunities | BioGem.Org