Research Associate Sr. Biocurator (Thaxton)

Position Summary
The Research Associate/ Senior Biocurator position will support ongoing curation efforts underway for the Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen) research program directed by Dr. Jonathan Berg. Curation support will entail assisting the ClinGen working groups and expert panels with the data collection and analysis from literature curation to enable assessment of the relationships between genes variants and clinical diagnoses. This individual will be expected to participate in local meetings of the research groups and conference calls with international domain experts. Successful job performance will require learning and implementing the curation framework and protocols developed by ClinGen. The Research Associate- Senior biocurator will track the progress of their curation projects and will also provide feedback on curation toolsets. Major responsibilities of this position include translating and integrating genetic information from primary literature and data from online genetic databases into biocuration databases to support genomic medicine research.

Required Qualifications Competencies And Experience
A Masters degree in genetics molecular biology biochemistry or a related field is required.

Preferred Qualifications Competencies And Experience
Relevant background for this position will depend on prior experience. PhD in genetics molecular biology biochemistry or related field is preferred. The selected candidate should have the ability to lead/contribute to preparation of publications and/or reports make presentations within department and/or at professional conferences and contribute to and lead exchange of research information through demonstration and instruction. The ideal candidate should be well-versed in genetics and genomic medicine. Candidates should have previous experience in management of small development groups or possess the interpersonal skills to supervise other junior members of the team. Ideal candidates should have the ability to comprehend and apply complex curation processes to various projects. He/she should also have the ability to read and critically evaluate the research literature to assess the state of knowledge about a genetic relationship and to evaluate the strength of evidence provided. The selected candidate should have the ability to work independently while maintaining strong communication with the UNC -based curation task force as well as external collaborators. Also the selected candidate should have knowledge of the scientific principles of biology specifically the central dogma of genetics and a basic understanding of physiology and disease. Knowledge of online genetic databases such as OMIM ClinVar and LOVD and familiarity with basic excel and database usage is preferred. Qualified candidates should also demonstrate effective verbal and written communication excellent analytical and problem-solving skills attention to detail and hold high professional standards for their own work and that of others.