Job Description
Technician, Sequencing & Bioinformatics - Genome Core (Relocation Assistance Available!) Whitehead Institute - 4.0 Cambridge, MA Job Details Full-time $65,000 - $90,000 a year 22 hours ago Benefits Relocation assistance Qualifications Next generation sequencing Data analysis skills Laboratory experience Client relationship development Databases Laboratory quality control Experimental design Bioinformatics data analysis
Python Full Job Description Classification:
Exempt Job Family:
Core Facilities Reports to: Director Genome Technology Core Job Description Summary:
OVERALL RESPONSIBILITY
The Genomics Technology Core Technician serves as a central point of expertise for sequencing and analytical operations. This role bridges wet-lab execution and computational analysis, supporting both short- and long-read sequencing workflows. The Technician will help internal and external clients on sequencing technologies, guide project design, manage client communication, and deliver rigorous data pre-processing, quality control, and downstream analysis. Will contribute to hands-on support in the laboratory as needed. CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES
Advise clients on appropriate sequencing technologies (short-read, long-read, single-cell, spatial) and help define project parameters, expected outputs, and deliverables. Perform primary NGS data processing including demultiplexing, alignment, and quality assessment (FastQC, MultiQC, etc.). Conduct secondary analysis as required, including variant calling, differential expression, or genome assembly depending on project needs. Develop and maintain reproducible analysis pipelines. Use and update LIMS and genomics databases to track samples, datasets, and project metadata. Communicate effectively with researchers at all levels to ensure deliverables meet scientific objectives. Document protocols, analysis workflows, and results clearly for both technical and non-technical audiences. Assist with NGS related services, quality control (Bioanalyzer, TapeStation, Qubit), and sequencer operation as needed. Contribute to continuous improvement of core facility processes and standard operating procedures. Other tasks, as required. QUALIFICATIONS
Required BS in Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, or a related field; or equivalent experience. 3+ years of relevant hands-on experience. Demonstrated expertise coordinating NGS workflows including short-read (e.g., Illumina, Elements) and long-read (e.g., Oxford Nanopore, PacBio) sequencing platforms. Demonstrated expertise in single cell technologies. Experience advising researchers or clients on sequencing technology selection and experimental design. Proficiency with NGS data pre-processing and quality control tools (e.g., Trimmomatic, MultiQC, Samtools, CellRanger). Familiarity with common bioinformatics data analysis workflows. Command-line proficiency in a Linux/Unix environment; ability to write and maintain analysis scripts in Python. Experience with genomics databases and data management (e.g., LIMS, SQL or similar). Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills; demonstrated ability to manage external client relationships. Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in a high-throughput service environment. Willingness to contribute to bench-level laboratory work when scientific or operational needs arise. Preferred Familiarity with spatial biology techniques. Familiarity with laboratory automation for liquid handling. Experience with workflow management systems (e.g., Snakemake, Nextflow) and version control (Git). Exposure to cloud computing environments or HPC clusters for large-scale data analysis. Whitehead provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the Institute reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of posting. The pay offered to a selected candidate during hiring will be based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience and education/training, and internal peer equity. This pay range represents base pay only and does not include any other benefits or compensation. Pay Range Minimum:
65,000 Pay Range Maximum:
90,000 Whitehead Institute is an E-Verify employer https://e-verify.uscis.gov/web/media/resourcesContents/E-Verify_Participation_Poster_ES.pdf
