Biotechnology is a branch of science, and is very IT oriented. Scientists are able to achieve more now because of the growth of the bioinformatics sector. There are several opportunities and career options within this sector. It does need a bit of specialized studies to be on the technical-IT side of the job. Research plays a very important role in the industry and right now there is a dearth of researchers in the industry.

The research and computing division works with a team of researchers and scientists. People should be qualified in fields like data management, database development, software design and also the implementation of software. A single person need not be qualified in all these areas; however there are certain areas which require the expertise in the research department that people can look for while applying for a job. Research also provides a platform to diversify the career and grow further in the industry.

Bio informatics and genetics is now being offered as a course at the college level. One has to plan in advance while taking up a course like this if they are serious about getting a job in this industry. Not everyone ends up as a scientist in the industry, but research programmers are plenty. Research level jobs start while a person is in college itself, and they are also paid while studying. Research is actually a part of the study. The entire industry depends on research because they consolidate the information gathered and arrive at solutions for various problems.

Education

The Bioinformatics field is technical one and also needs a lot of knowledge in science. A person who chooses to work in the main field of the industry must have a basic science background with biology as the primary option. The higher the level of education, the better the job opportunities are. These days all colleges and universities offer a course in bio technology as a separate curriculum. People who are interested in the study of genealogy should choose this course, if they want to start a career in the bio informatics industry.

It is also better to do some computer courses and gain software knowledge that would compliment their main education. It all depends on the role they are playing in the organization, and to grow higher, they need to be educated more.

Entry level jobs mostly involve primary research, but as the research and responsibilities get intense, more qualifications are required. There are many branches of study within the bio genetics industry and candidates should choose their field well in advance and specialize further in order to get education related jobs.

Education required:

Ph.D. in molecular biology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, or related field
Experience with Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
Expertise in computer science, prefer expertise in Java.
Computational biology or bioinformatics research

Skills

The required person for this job should have good communication skills and should efficiently communicate with the team, clients and the internal research group. If the person is in the research department, then he or she should be able to relate to the information and create innovative opportunities within. Also, the person has to be creative and use the creativity in the research field. They should be able to identify solutions using innovation and effective solutions using different approaches.

This is an important quality for a research executive or a scientist, and they should also have the ability to depend less on already established procedures. The candidates should apply their research knowledge and be able to apply the same to develop new solutions. The initial position offered to a college graduate will be that of a research executive, and after gaining experience for two years, they will become research specialists.

Expected Salary

Beginners: $ 3000-$3500
Mid Level: $5000- $5500
Expert: $6500-$8000