Bioinformatics Analyst

We are seeking a highly motivated Bioinformatics Analyst to join the research group of Dr. Robert Burk at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. This role is critical to supporting our ongoing molecular epidemiology and microbiome research, with a strong emphasis on human papillomavirus (HPV)-related neoplasia and the human microbiome (gut, oral, and cervicovaginal). The successful candidate will contribute to projects that have been published in high-impact journals such as Nature Communications and CELL.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in bioinformatics, epidemiology, computational biology, or a related discipline and possess demonstrated experience processing next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. This position provides an opportunity to work at the intersection of genomics, microbiome research, and epidemiology, with direct implications for cancer prevention and infectious disease research.

Key Responsibilities:

• NGS Data Analysis: Process and analyze high-throughput sequencing data (e.g., amplicon sequencing, bisulfite sequencing, metagenomics, viral integration) and develop bioinformatics pipelines.
• Epidemiological Data Integration: Apply bioinformatics methodologies to study host-pathogen interactions, microbial communities, and genomic variations in large-scale epidemiological cohorts.
• Phylogenetics & Evolutionary Analysis: Perform phylogenetic tree construction and genomic epidemiology studies for HPV and other microbiome-related investigations.
• Data Management & Security: Organize, manage, and curate sequencing datasets, ensuring compliance with clinical data protection and security best practices.
• Computational & Statistical Analysis: Utilize R, Python, or other computational tools to perform statistical analyses, epidemiological modeling, and data visualization.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Work closely with molecular biologists, epidemiologists, and computational scientists to integrate findings into broader translational research efforts.
• Reporting & Presentation: Present findings in lab meetings, scientific conferences, and high-impact publications.
• Grant & Manuscript Preparation: Contribute to research proposals and manuscript writing to support ongoing and new projects.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or Ph.D. in bioinformatics, computational biology, epidemiology, or related fields preferred.
• Technical Skills:
  • Proficiency in R, Python, or similar languages for data analysis.
  • Experience with NGS data processing, microbiome bioinformatics (16S, ITS1, shotgun metagenomics), and HPV genomics.
  • Familiarity with machine learning/statistical modeling techniques in epidemiology is a plus.
• Problem-Solving & Innovation: Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with a proactive approach to problem-solving in bioinformatics and epidemiology.
• Communication & Collaboration: Ability to work in a highly interdisciplinary team and clearly communicate complex findings.

Why Join Us?

• Work on cutting-edge molecular epidemiology and microbiome research with direct public health impact.
• Collaborate with leading experts in bioinformatics, genomics, and epidemiology.
• Be part of projects published in top-tier journals such as Nature Communications and CELL.
• Career development opportunities, including conference participation, grant writing experience, and authorship on high-impact publications.

If you are a bioinformatics scientist eager to apply computational approaches to epidemiological and microbiome research, we encourage you to apply!