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Requirements

Job Overview

Under the limited direction of Dr. Cathy H. Wu, Professor of Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cellular Biology and Director of Protein Information Resource, the Bioinformatics Team Lead will assume responsibilities for leading and developing novel algorithms and software tools supporting the NIH-funded UniProt Consortium project listed below, as well as collaborative projects being established. The candidate will be expected to work in a team environment, working closely with collaborating organizations.

• UniProt: AI-Driven Scaling of Protein Knowledge for Biomedical Research
• 09/02/2026 – 08/31/2031, U24HG007822-13
• $23,920,712 (total costs); GU-PIR Component: $4,276,115
• MPI: Dr. Cathy Wu (contact PI), GU-PIR (Georgetown University-Protein Information Resource), USA; Dr. Alex Bateman, EMBL-EBI (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute), UK; Dr. Paul Thomas, SIB (Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics), Switzerland

Additional duties include, but are not limited to:

• Lead bioinformatics and software engineering efforts for the UniProt Consortium project.
• Oversee algorithms, databases, and application development, including system design and implementation.
• Coordinate key informatics activities such as UniRef production, ID mapping, bibliography systems, Peptide Search, and website/FTP maintenance.
• Develop and improve bioinformatics tools and systems, including databases, analytics tools, web interfaces, workflows, scalability, and performance.
• Contribute to the scientific community through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, and staying current with emerging technologies.

Work Interactions

This position serves as a technical and collaborative link among Georgetown University and external partners, working closely with bioinformatics and data curation colleagues at the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), and the PIR curator team. The position coordinates and contributes to cross-institutional activities involving protein sequence databases, annotation, data curation, and bioinformatics services, and provides technical expertise for resolving complex data and infrastructure issues. Through these collaborations, the position influences the quality, interoperability, and reliability of resources used by researchers and the broader scientific community. The position supports Georgetown University’s mission in biomedical research, data science, and the advancement of scientific knowledge.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Master’s degree in computer science
• A minimum of ten years of experience in bioinformatics software engineering
• A minimum of ten years of experience in developing software to support the PIR bioinformatics infrastructure for the UniProt project, including the parallelization, optimization and scaling of the UniRef clustering methods for database production in regular releases
• Extensive experience in programming with C, C++, Perl, Python
• Extensive experience in database management, including Oracle
• Extensive experience in bioinformatics databases, web applications, and web interface development
• Experience in advanced algorithm design, including artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) methods
• Experience in high-performance computing and cloud computing
• Experience in system administration and server maintenance
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team research environment
• Demonstrated ability to prepare scientific results for publications and/or presentations at relevant seminars and meetings
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong attention to detail and responsiveness
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to foster a collaborative work environment

Work Mode Designation

This position has been designated as Hybrid. Please note that work mode designations are regularly reviewed in order to meet the evolving needs of the University. Such review may necessitate a change to a position’s mode of work designation. Complete details about Georgetown University’s mode of work designations for staff positions can be found on the Department of Human Resources website: https://hr.georgetown.edu/mode-of-work-designation.

Pay Range:

The projected salary or hourly pay range for this position which represents the full range of anticipated compensation is:

Compensation is determined by a number of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s individual qualifications, experience, education, skills, and certifications, as well as the University’s business needs and external factors.

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EEO Statement:

GU is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, and will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, citizenship, color, disability, family responsibilities, gender identity and expression, genetic information, marital status, matriculation, national origin, race, religion, personal appearance, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits:

Georgetown University offers a comprehensive and competitive benefit package that includes medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, retirement savings, tuition assistance, work-life balance benefits, employee discounts and an array of voluntary insurance options. You can learn more about benefits and eligibility on the Department of Human Resources website.