Principal Clinical Scientist Bioinformatician

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS Trust in Cambridge is seeking a Principal Clinical Scientist Bioinformatician to lead their Bioinformatics team. The role involves managing bioinformatics services for genomic medicine, ensuring quality analysis of patient data and developing services to support patients with rare diseases and cancers. The ideal candidate will possess an MSc or PhD in bioinformatics or genetics, alongside extensive experience in bioinformatics practices. Join a team dedicated to high-quality healthcare and support innovations in clinical bioinformatics.

Benefits

On-site leisure facilities

Reduced cost bus travel

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in bioinformatics tool development and analysis.
• Completion of the relevant training programme in Clinical Bioinformatics.
• Experience of managing teams in a diagnostic genomic laboratory.

Responsibilities

• Manage bioinformatics services for the Genomic Laboratory Hub.
• Ensure timely and accurate analysis of patient data.
• Develop bioinformatics services to support genomic medicine delivery.

Skills

Leadership

Advanced bioinformatics knowledge

Analytical skills

Project management

Communication skills

Education

MSc, PhD or equivalent in bioinformatics or human genetics

Tools

Bioinformatics software

Job description

Go back Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Principal Clinical Scientist Bioinformatician

The closing date is 04 January 2026

Are you an experienced Bioinformatician that wants to lead a growing clinical Bioinformatics team?

The NHS East Genomic Laboratory Hub (EGLH) seeks candidates for a leadership role, responsible for developing modern bioinformatics services to support delivery of genomic medicine for patients with rare diseases, solid and haematological cancers. EGLH is responsible for delivery of the Genomic Medicine Service for a population of 10 million in the East of England.

Secondary and tertiary analyses are run on our clinical cloud and we continue to build out our bioinformatics infrastructure and analytical capability to improve diagnostic pathways.

We take time to develop the team professionally and support all to learn and stay up to date with advances in bioinformatics.

Main duties of the job

• Manage bioinformatics services for the Genomic Laboratory Hub
• Ensure timely and accurate analysis of patient data
• Responsible for continual development and improvement of bioinformatics services
• Fulfil product owner and project manager roles for bioinformatics services
• Ensure the laboratory offers the highest quality diagnostic genomics services
• Ensure the laboratory meets legal, regulatory and professional requirements
• Senior role in application of bioinformatics for delivery of the NHS Genomic Medicine Service
• Manage and develop the bioinformatics team, including trainees
• Liaise and advise at national level on bioinformatics policy, practice and training

About us

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:- applied for a Graduate visa- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment- or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employment.

For NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough based roles, all applicants from NHS Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who have identified that they are at risk of redundancy will be prioritised over those not at risk. However, interviews cannot be guaranteed.This vacancy will close at midnight on 4th January 2026

Interview Date - To be confirmed

Why choose Cambridge University Hospitals?

• Our values and reputation for outstanding care
• Opportunities to experience a range of specialities
• Career and development opportunities
• Preceptorship and mentoring programmes delivered by a dedicated clinical education support team
• Research experience and opportunities
• Lovely location and quality of life
• Excellent schools/colleges and transport links (road, rail and air)

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• MSc, PhD or equivalent postgraduate qualification in bioinformatics with experience of human genetics OR oMSc, PhD or equivalent postgraduate qualification in a human genetics based discipline with a significant bioinformatics component
• Completion of Health Education England's Scientist Training Programme in Clinical Bioinformatics Genomics or equivalent training programme

Experience

• Extensive experience of developing and implementing bioinformatic tools, analysis pipelines and resources
• Has adopted bioinformatics standards and been responsible for maintaining information resources to such standards
• Experience of being responsible for bioinformatics service delivery and maintaining quality standards
• Experience of being clinically accountable and responsible for patient care
• Has managed people and teams, including interpretation of organisational policies
• Experience of project manager and product owner roles for development of bioinformatics software
• Advanced experience of applying theoretical knowledge and practical skills to develop clinical-grade bioinformatics solutions for healthcare of cancer and RD patients
• Experience of specialist analysis, clinical interpretation and diagnostic reporting of genomic tests in a healthcare setting
• Experience of managing teams in a diagnostic genomic laboratory
• Experience of working at national level to develop standards and policies

Knowledge

• Highly developed specialist knowledge of bioinformatics principles, algorithms and software for analysis of complex data such as that generated by next generation sequencing approaches
• Knowledge of clinical and data regulation as applicable for healthcare
• Thorough knowledge of tools available for the analysis and interpretation of genetic and genomic data
• Good knowledge of human genetics as relevant for delivery of the Genomic Medicine Service
• Good knowledge of programming and software development best practices
• Good knowledge and appreciation of the important of effective managerial procedures
• Knowledge of clinical and data regulation as applicable for healthcare, including data security and information governance
• Broad knowledge and in-depth understanding of how identifying different types of genetic and genomic variation can inform diagnosis, prognosis and management of cancer and RD patients
• Thorough understanding of the statistical methods used in analysis of complex genomic data
• Specialist knowledge of clinical requirements for bioinformatics applications used for diagnostic services
• Thorough knowledge of requirements for accreditation of bioinformatics processes to the ISO 15189 standard
• In-depth knowledge of best practice guidance for development and application of bioinformatics tools in clinical laboratories
• Applied knowledge of good management practices

Skills

• Highly developed ability in the analysis of next generation sequencing data applied for clinical purposes
• Specialist interpretation of complex data arising from diagnostic testing, in the context of a patient's healthcare, requiring both highly developed analytical and judgement skills
• Planning and organisation of complex tasks and activities related to bioinformatics, co-ordinating both own and others' workload, ability to reorganise as necessary and implement skill-mix changes
• Operational planning of bioinformatics services and general business planning
• Providing leadership, guidance and training
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including ability to prepare and present complex scientific and clinical information to both specialist and non-specialist
• Highly specialist ability in the assessment of cancer and RD bioinformatics tools to determine clinical utility and applicability for delivery of the Genomic Medicine Service
• Managing a bioinformatics team to deliver a leading clinical bioinformatics service, including developing policies and protocols
• Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information; present complex, sensitive or contentious information to large groups and senior managers
• Ability to manage and reconcile conflicting views where there are significant barriers to acceptance or understanding

Additional Requirements

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust