Senior Bioinformatics QA Engineer

Summary:

The Senior Bioinformatics QA Engineer will ensure the quality, accuracy, and performance of bioinformatics pipelines used for genomic data analysis. The ideal candidate will have experience in bioinformatics, software testing, and quality assurance methodologies. In this role, the engineer will support testing for in-house developed bioinformatics pipelines running on local high-performance clusters (HPC). The role will also be responsible for creating and reviewing documentation for bioinformatics pipeline validations and other testing results based on internal quality management requirements and SOPs. The QA engineer will be responsible for the overall quality of bioinformatics pipelines and will collaborate with bioinformatics development and operations teams to identify and correct any potential bugs found in internal bioinformatics software.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support testing and validation of in-house bioinformatics pipelines run on HPCs and other computational environments.
• Develop, execute, and maintain comprehensive test plans and test cases for bioinformatics pipelines, including unit, integration, and system-level tests.
• Perform functional, performance, and scalability testing on bioinformatics workflows and software.
• Collaborate closely with bioinformatics developers to understand pipeline requirements and ensure the correct implementation of testing strategies.
• Validate data outputs for consistency, accuracy, and biological relevance across different datasets.
• Review and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., CLIA, CAP, HIPAA) in bioinformatics workflows.
• Analyze and document test results, identify issues, and work with development teams to resolve defects.
• Implement version control practices, manage testing environments, and ensure the reproducibility of results.
• Support the release process by ensuring bioinformatics software and pipeline updates meet quality standards.

Qualifications/Experience:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
• Experience with bioinformatics pipelines, data analysis, and scientific computing environments.
• Proficiency in programming/scripting languages (e.g., Python, R, Bash).
• Strong understanding of software testing methodologies, including automated testing and CI/CD pipelines.
• Familiarity with bioinformatics tools and frameworks (e.g., Nextflow, Snakemake, Galaxy).
• Experience with version control systems such as Git and Azure DevOps
• Knowledge of biological data formats (e.g., FASTQ, BAM, VCF) and sequencing technologies.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Preferred Skills/Experience:

• Experience with statistical analysis or machine learning in a biological context.
• Understanding of regulatory standards in clinical bioinformatics (e.g., CLIA, CAP).
• Familiarity with High Performance Computing environments.
• Experience with the Illumina Dragen Bio-IT Platform a plus.
• Experience with Jira, Confluence, and Agile methodologies a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Frequently required to sit.
• Frequently required to utilize hand and finger dexterity.
• Frequently required to talk or hear.

EEO Statement:

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from candidates regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

The above is intended to describe the general content and requirements for this job's performance. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties,