Sinai Health is a leading academic health science centre with a provincial, national and international reputation for discovering and delivering life-changing care. We provide excellent and compassionate care in hospital, community and home. Comprised of Mount Sinai Hospital, Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital, the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute and our system partner Circle of Care, we translate scientific breakthroughs, push boundaries for health solutions, and educates future clinical and scientific leaders.

Sinai Health is fully committed to a culture of belonging and an inclusive environment that attracts and retains a diverse workforce, at all levels of the organization, that reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applications from racialized persons, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, 2SLGBTQ+ persons, and those from diverse backgrounds and experiences. If you require accommodation (including, but not limited to, an accessible interview site, alternate format documents, ASL Interpreter, or Assistive Technology) during the recruitment and selection process, please let us know through the Accommodation Phone Line at 416-586-4800, ext. 7050, or email HiringProcessAccommodation.msh@sinaihealth.ca .

At Sinai Health, we care, create possibilities and offer hope. We are looking for an experienced Bioinformatician in our Diagnostic Medical Genetics department.

Reporting to the Senior Manager of Diagnostic Medical Genetics (DMG), the Bioinformatician is an integral member of a multi-disciplinary clinical and academic team specializing in both prenatal and predictive molecular diagnostics. This role will be shared between the cytogenetics and molecular diagnostics labs within the Division of Diagnostic Medical Genetics and is familiar with genomic microarray technologies and cancer diagnostics, and is proficient in data analysis, data mining, interpretation and the preparation of statistical reports.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Sequencing Analysis Pipeline

Development and maintenance of bioinformatics pipelines for analyzing microarray and next-generation sequencing (germline/somatic variant and fusion calling) data
Manage the storage of next-generation sequencing data
Utilize external database to assist in the annotation and assessment of sequencing data
Evaluate and implement novel bioinformatics tools to improve standard of care for genetic testing

Software Development

Develop software solutions to aid diagnostic staff and optimize laboratory processes
Manage software upgrades and ensure compliance to regulatory standards
Assist in troubleshooting of vendor hardware and software issues related to sequencing
Assist in development, maintenance, and troubleshooting of Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
Assist in the development, maintenance and troubleshooting of the integration of LIMS and the Laboratory Information System (LIS)
Assist in the creation and maintenance of standard of procedure documents for analysis software

Quality Assurance

Evaluate key performance metrics by querying and analyzing data from LIMS and LIS to identify bottlenecks and/or opportunities for improvement in current practice
Provide operational and strategic reports and participate in service planning to track performance metrics on a regular basis
Assist in the implementation of quality improvement initiatives through data analysis and software development

Additional duties

Assist in the training of laboratory staff in the use of LIMS
Attend regular staff meetings, team huddles and discipline meetings where appropriate
Collaborate with clinical staff, clinical directors and laboratory staff on multi-disciplinary projects
Consult with laboratory staff to identify project and user requirements
Respects client confidence and protects operations by keeping information confidential
Retain technical knowledge by attending educational workshops; reviewing publications; establishing personal networks; participating in technical societies on a continual basis
Contributions to the writing of publications

Job Requirements

Bachelors/Masters Degree in Bioinformatics/Computer Science/Computational Biology or related field
Experience in academic/industrial environment for data analysis of next-generation sequencing data for germline variant calling, somatic variant calling, and/or fusion calling required
Minimum 1 year experience in software development in multiple programming languages, such as Python/Java, and derivatives for biological data analysis
Experience with Linux/UNIX based systems and developing shell scripts/command-line interface for data processing
Basic understanding of databases (Oracle/MySQL), fundamental database design principles and SQL
Strong interpersonal communication skills, both written and verbal
Proven organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a busy work environment
Experience in downloading/learning/applying software and database resources for custom analysis and building workflows
Experience with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, and VBA
Experience with LIS used in a clinical laboratory settings
Familiarity with various biomedical databases
Basic understanding of statistics

All applications must be submitted by no later than 4:00pm of the posting deadline date. Employment at Sinai Health is conditional upon the verification of credentials, completion of a health review, and demonstrating proof of immunity and vaccination status of vaccine-preventable diseases. All employees and affiliates will follow safe work practices and comply with health and safety policies, procedures and training. To ensure the safety and wellbeing of all our people and patients, Sinai Health has made it a priority to support everyone in getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Consistent with this, our Staff Immunization & Surveillance Policy was recently updated to include the requirement for full vaccination – currently defined as receiving two doses and serving a 14-day waiting period following the second dose – in order to be able to work at Sinai Health. To be compliant with our updated Policy, you must provide proof of dual COVID-19 vaccination, as indicated on the Prospective Immunization and Surveillance Policy Information Sheet, in order to be eligible for employment at Sinai Health. If you believe you are one of the very few people who may require an exemption from vaccination, supporting medical information must be submitted to our Occupational Health department, who will review and assess. Sinai Health is a scent sensitive environment, please refrain from wearing or using scented products while visiting or working at any Sinai Health site.