All About Bioinformatics Technicians

Job Description & Duties Apply principles and methods of bioinformatics to assist scientists in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. Apply bioinformatics tools to visualize, analyze, manipulate or interpret molecular data. May build and maintain databases for processing and analyzing genomic or other biological information.

What Do Bioinformatics Technicians Do On a Daily Basis?

• Enter or retrieve information from structural databases, protein sequence motif databases, mutation databases, genomic databases or gene expression databases.
• Write computer programs or scripts to be used in querying databases.
• Confer with researchers, clinicians, or information technology staff to determine data needs and programming requirements and to provide assistance with database-related research activities.
• Train bioinformatics staff or researchers in the use of databases.
• Package bioinformatics data for submission to public repositories.
• Perform routine system administrative functions, such as troubleshooting, back-ups, or upgrades.

What a Bioinformatics Technician Should Know

When polled, Bioinformatics Technicians say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Types of Bioinformatics Technician Jobs

• Bioinformatics Developer
• Bioinformatics Specialist
• Biotechnician
• Field Data Technician
• Informatics Developer

Is There Job Demand for Bioinformatics Technicians?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 11,800 jobs in the United States for Bioinformatics Technician. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,100 new jobs for Bioinformatics Technician by 2026. There will be an estimated 1,600 positions for Bioinformatics Technician per year.

The states with the most job growth for Bioinformatics Technician are Utah, Florida, and Arkansas. Watch out if you plan on working in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, or Mississippi. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Average Bioinformatics Technicians Salary

The salary for Bioinformatics Technicians ranges between about $31,470 and $72,860 a year.

Bioinformatics Technicians who work in Connecticut, Washington, or Massachusetts, make the highest salaries.

How much do Bioinformatics Technicians make in each U.S. state?

State	Annual Mean Salary
Alabama	$41,720
Arizona	$39,180
California	$50,250
Colorado	$45,250
Connecticut	$72,480
District of Columbia	$54,990
Florida	$48,180
Georgia	$50,510
Hawaii	$47,890
Illinois	$53,760
Indiana	$37,970
Iowa	$55,120
Louisiana	$56,010
Maine	$40,530
Maryland	$49,900
Massachusetts	$61,730
Michigan	$49,940
Minnesota	$49,370
Mississippi	$25,280
Missouri	$43,410
Nebraska	$41,940
Nevada	$50,320
New Hampshire	$47,210
New Jersey	$51,020
New Mexico	$45,020
New York	$55,620
North Carolina	$41,520
Ohio	$43,390
Oklahoma	$45,520
Oregon	$45,920
Pennsylvania	$49,850
Rhode Island	$52,530
South Carolina	$40,160
Tennessee	$41,240
Texas	$56,700
Utah	$54,440
Virginia	$52,100
Washington	$63,900
West Virginia	$42,530
Wisconsin	$45,510

Tools & Technologies Used by Bioinformatics Technicians

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Bioinformatics Technicians:

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Hypertext markup language HTML
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Git
• Microsoft Outlook
• Web browser software
• Python
• Microsoft Access
• MySQL
• Word processing software
• Data visualization software
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Visio
• Structured query language SQL
• The MathWorks MATLAB
• SAS
• Linux

How do I Become a Bioinformatics Technician?

What kind of Bioinformatics Technician requirements are there?

How Long Does it Take to Become a Bioinformatics Technician?

Who Employs Bioinformatics Technicians?

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

References:

• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• College Factual
• O*NET Online

Image Credit: Pixabay via CC0 License

More about our data sources and methodologies.