Bioinformatics Careers Ireland

moranr7

Hi, i am going to be finished my Bsc. in genetics this year. I have experience in bioinformatics from 2 research placements. I wish to get a phd in bioinformatics or clinical science. This needs to be in ireland. Is there job positions in this field in Ireland/were there be in 4 years, it seems everywhere I look, jobs are scarce in the area. Should i just try to get a job in industry with my degree rather than waste my time getting a phd and then be jobless.

Thanks in advance guys!
R

lockman

moranr7 wrote: »

Hi, i am going to be finished my Bsc. in genetics this year. I have experience in bioinformatics from 2 research placements. I wish to get a phd in bioinformatics or clinical science. This needs to be in ireland. Is there job positions in this field in Ireland/were there be in 4 years, it seems everywhere I look, jobs are scarce in the area. Should i just try to get a job in industry with my degree rather than waste my time getting a phd and then be jobless.

Thanks in advance guys!
R

At any given time, you can count on one hand the amount of openings being advertised in Ireland for bioinformatics experts. There is a big demand for such people in Europe, The USA and elsewhere - it just doesnt seem to have caught up here just yet.

The demand might increase in ~4 years time but who really knows?

From time to time, the likes of Teagasc will adverstise for bioinformaticians. E.g. see:
http://www.teagasc.ie/careers/vacancies.asp

The likes of the APC in UCC, and other research institutes and groups will from time to time, seek bioinformaticians, and postdocs, but these are few and far between.

You dont necessarily have to do a PhD in the area, although it obviously helps a little. If you were so inclined, both UCC and DCU, offer a one year taught MSc in the area, as does QUB in the north.

RebelRed90

A career in Bioinformatics, jes fair play to ya. Bioinformatics always went way over my head! Thought they would be jobs in that as I thought a lot of people would find it very difficult/tedious!

moranr7

I love it, and I think its very powerful and exciting. Dream Job IF i can get one in it

josey_whale

moranr7 wrote: »

I love it, and I think its very powerful and exciting. Dream Job IF i can get one in it

Follow your dreams!!!

If you want to stay in Ireland, you will be limited in the jobs available to you. However, there are jobs, and you can be certain that there will be jobs.. and likely even more jobs in the future. Of course, with a PhD in bioinformatics you could also apply your skills in the IT industry.

Let me pose a question to you... In your opinion, what single technology is driving biological research at the moment?

For me, it has to be computation... the ability to turn raw data into meaningful information. In a word... bioinformatics. One of the biggest bottlenecks in biology right now is that we don't have the tools to deal with the huge amounts of data that is being generated.

A recent quote from Francis Collins (NIH director)... "We are living in an awkward interval where our ability to capture the information often exceeds our ability to know what to do with it"

I am a molecular biologist, and I wish I could program... It would make my job so much easier.

A quick search using the search term "bioinformatics" on nature jobs came up with 4 jobs in Ireland, and 104 jobs in the UK.

It's a growth area. The other good thing about this field, is that it relatively well paid. As mentioned by a previous poster, a MSc might be worth exploring...

moranr7

Yea I agree with you the single technology that is driving biological research at the moment is computation. We have so much data now though and analysis is providing very difficult due to the sheer amount of data. However, the more biologists that will use computers heavily the easier analysis of so much data will get. The creation of clever algorithms by biologists and teams of scientists shows great potential in solving the problem of 'too much data to analyze'. I have worked on creating a tool using an algorithm. This showed me how powerful machine learning (i.e artificial intelligence and creation of algorithms) is and can be. Sooo exciting!!

Kevster

Well, I studied computer science in Dublin, Biology in Carlow, and then did my PhD in oncology (breast cancer) over in the UK, taking a 'heavily' computational look on cancer biology. I worked a bit as a bioinformatician in the same group in the UK after my PhD but recently was offered a job in computational biology over in New York.

It is the IN thing in which to be in biology, as others have alluded to. I wouldn't restrict yourself to Ireland though... go to jobs dot ac dot uk and you'll see tonnes of jobs in bioinformatics even in just the UK. There are much more in the USA. Over recent months, I had interviews at Oxford, Cambridge, King's College, Imperial, and others for posts in bioinformatics.

Dave1711

Aiming for the same thing,current final year Micro student hoping to get into UCC MA in Bioinformatics to get a taste for it and may pursue a Phd afterwords.

Sarky

lockman wrote: »

The likes of the APC in UCC, and other research institutes and groups will from time to time, seek bioinformaticians, and postdocs, but these are few and far between.

That's where I'm currently employed. I got the MSc in bioinformatics in UCC, got a little work experience after the research project when my supervisor asked me to stay on for 6 months as a research assistant. I applied for a Phd position in the APC last year, didn't get it, but I learned that another researcher there was looking for a bioinformatics person, so I sent my CV along, did an interview, and I was hired last November. It's like a Phd without the horrific stress :pac: although it was mentioned that there's scope for a Phd to come out of the results of the project I was hired for. I'm hoping I can clobber together a nice little proposal in the next couple of weeks.

There are jobs there, but they're not numerous, and frankly I don't think they're advertised very well, you sometimes need to go searching through several department and institute websites to find all the jobs in the same field up for grabs.

Check out the universities mentioned, and more besides, they're a good place to start looking for jobs. Don't be afraid to look at jobs which require slightly different qualifications, you might be able to do the same thing with a different discipline. Bioinformaticians are still kinda "new" so it's possible some researchers don't realise they need one.

Rhavin

I finished my MSc in bioinformatics around September 2011 and initially found it difficult to find a job. After being in college for 6 years I did not want to do a PhD, which limited the jobs available to me. I was looking in Ireland initially but when I expanded to the UK I found a job quite quickly. It took me 6 months to land my first job.

I'm currently a core bioinformatician for an institute in Cambridge and from talking to group leaders, they do not realise how bioinformatics can further their current research. This is changing however and groups are either trying to find desktop bioinformatics solutions (which are awful!) or hiring bioinformatician's. My role is a bioinformatics consultant to research groups which means I have different problem to solve every day which is very interesting.

I definitely think the next five years will see a massive demand for bioinformaticians.

BlutendeRabe

I'm in my last year of my pharmacy degree and I'm interested in pursuing another Masters after my internship year, but I'd only do one if it'd help me in terms of salary or careers. I've zero interest in going into community and am planning on interning in a hospital.

I previously did a formulary app development project for Tallaght Hospital last summer. Just curious if it'd be worthwhile doing a masters in bio or health informatics and how itd help my career. I'm quite computer literate. Don't know how to write code but I'd be able to learn pretty quickly if required. Has anyone done an MSc in it? What are the jobs like atm?

moranr7

Hi , I am in my first year of my Bioinformatics PhD. Honestly, Bioinformatics is going to an aspect of every scientists day in years to come- at some level. It is a really powerful area that compliments the mass amounts of data modern techniques/technology can spit out. If you were to do any masters , Bioinformatics is a good choice. Also, I got an internship in 3rd year with no programming experience and just start teaching myself - because I had to make a tool, at first very difficult but after that steep curve A LOT of things become fantastically challenging - i.e. challenging but you can solve the problems yourself with your newfound skills.

Best,
Ray

ciara1052

moranr7 wrote: »

Hi , I am in my first year of my Bioinformatics PhD. Honestly, Bioinformatics is going to an aspect of every scientists day in years to come- at some level. It is a really powerful area that compliments the mass amounts of data modern techniques/technology can spit out. If you were to do any masters , Bioinformatics is a good choice. Also, I got an internship in 3rd year with no programming experience and just start teaching myself - because I had to make a tool, at first very difficult but after that steep curve A LOT of things become fantastically challenging - i.e. challenging but you can solve the problems yourself with your newfound skills.

Best,
Ray

Hi Just wondering where you got the bioinformatics internship?All the internships I've been told about are all more related to molecular and cell biology and bioinformatics is something I wouldn't mind looking into. Thanks in advance!

moranr7

I got 2 internships in my undergrad. One in Belgium - The Flemish Institute of Biotechnology. My other one in Lombardi cancer research center, Georgetown, Washington. I've also got experience in National INstitute of Biotechnology for my thesis. However, there are a lot of places to get an internship in bioinf. Google labs that do what your interested in and email them asking for experience.

Squeakf99

If you are not limited to Ireland then definitely go for it. I have been looking at postdoc positions (mainly abroad) and most of them want a lot of bioinformatic experience. I know of a lab in TCD looking for a PhD student that is bioinformatic and clinical based if you'd like info

moranr7

josey_whale wrote: »

Follow your dreams!!!

If you want to stay in Ireland, you will be limited in the jobs available to you. However, there are jobs, and you can be certain that there will be jobs.. and likely even more jobs in the future. Of course, with a PhD in bioinformatics you could also apply your skills in the IT industry.

Let me pose a question to you... In your opinion, what single technology is driving biological research at the moment?

For me, it has to be computation... the ability to turn raw data into meaningful information. In a word... bioinformatics. One of the biggest bottlenecks in biology right now is that we don't have the tools to deal with the huge amounts of data that is being generated.

A recent quote from Francis Collins (NIH director)... "We are living in an awkward interval where our ability to capture the information often exceeds our ability to know what to do with it"

I am a molecular biologist, and I wish I could program... It would make my job so much easier.

A quick search using the search term "bioinformatics" on nature jobs came up with 4 jobs in Ireland, and 104 jobs in the UK.

It's a growth area. The other good thing about this field, is that it relatively well paid. As mentioned by a previous poster, a MSc might be worth exploring...

Thank you josey_whale --> Very Good advice. P.s. If you ever need my programming to assist you just let me know <snip-email address>

moranr7

Squeakf99 wrote: »

If you are not limited to Ireland then definitely go for it. I have been looking at postdoc positions (mainly abroad) and most of them want a lot of bioinformatic experience. I know of a lab in TCD looking for a PhD student that is bioinformatic and clinical based if you'd like info

Squeakf99 Thanks, I am actually 3/4 through my first year PhD. What is the name of the PI ? sounds like a very interesting lab clinical + bioinfo. Thanks.

Squeakf99

moranr7 wrote: »

Squeakf99 Thanks, I am actually 3/4 through my first year PhD. What is the name of the PI ? sounds like a very interesting lab clinical + bioinfo. Thanks.

Dr Ric Anney. He works primarily on Autism in the psychiatric genetics group. I think the PhD would be genomics/stats/bioinformatics based. A really great guy to work with. Good luck with thr PhD :-)

moranr7

Just to close the loop.

Finished PhD. Loved the work, Hated being broke for so long. Delighted to get a genomics job straight out of PhD in Industry in Ireland!

Loving life.

Tree

moranr7 wrote: »

Just to close the loop.

Finished PhD. Loved the work, Hated being broke for so long. Delighted to get a genomics job straight out of PhD in Industry in Ireland!

Loving life.

Hurrah for a happy ending! Delighted you made it out the far side and congrats on getting the job!

josey_whale

moranr7 wrote: »

Just to close the loop.

Finished PhD. Loved the work, Hated being broke for so long. Delighted to get a genomics job straight out of PhD in Industry in Ireland!

Loving life.

Fair fux to you! There are quite a few more in Ireland now that when you started out on this journey. Keep up the good work!