Bioinformatics Resume Example

This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a bioinformatics resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. The article will take you through the key steps of creating a resume that presents your key skills, qualities and career achievements in a format that employers favor. It will also help you tailor your resume according to your unique skills and experience level. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your bioinformatics resume.

Main elements of a bioinformatics resume

Although the content of a bioinformatics resume may differ according to your experience and seniority, the main sections will remain the same.

Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:

Header and Personal Information

A bioinformatics resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Make your resume header clear, concise and as brief and compact as possible. Consider different layouts that spread the information horizontally across the page rather than using a different line for each piece of information.

Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.

Resume Summary

In your resume summary, write a short paragraph that highlights two or three of your key achievements and skills for bioinformatics scientist roles. You could also call this section 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. A resume summary covers your career experience to date, while a resume objective focuses more on your ambitions for the future. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for bioinformatics scientist roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.

Alternatively, you could use this section to reference your objectives and ambitions, and how this role would fit into your career journey.

A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for bioinformatics scientist roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. See below for some great examples of how to approach your bioinformatics resume.

Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your bioinformatics resume summary

Work Experience

Your resume work experience section is the chance to show your relevant previous jobs and career achievements as a bioinformatics scientist. Mention only the most appropriate and relevant jobs you've had in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent and working backwards. Add your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the role and your dates of employment.

For each job listed in this section, add some bullet points so the employer can understand the skills you developed, and your achievements. Focus on showcasing the impact you made on the organization, and show evidence of how you made a difference.

A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.

Above, you can see a weaker example of a resume work experience section to best avoid. A poor resume work experience section would typically use vague descriptions of activities in previous jobs, while focusing too much on responsibilities rather than achievements. Failing to focus on the skills and experience that match the job description is likely to harm your chances of success.

Education

Under education, add details of any degrees or professional qualifications relevant to bioinformatics scientist roles.

A bioinformatics scientist role tends to require candidates to have a university or college degree, so make sure you list yours in your resume. A Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics degree or similar is the most suitable for this job, but you could also include any other relevant qualifications that show your statistical data analysis or machine learning algorithms.

List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.

Membership or leadership of any societies, clubs or causes while studying can also make a positive impression on hiring managers. Consider adding these to your education section for more insight into how you used your time as a student.

Publications and Projects

Resume sections for projects and publications can be a useful way of showing your specialist knowledge, and your standing and reputation within your chosen discipline. Choose projects and publications that mark you out as a thought leader in your field of expertise. Include a list of major academic projects you've been involved in, as well as a list of key publications that add to the knowledge base of your discipline. These could include books, chapters, journal articles, magazine articles or newspaper articles.

Choose between the Modern Language Association (MLA) and American Psychological Association (APA) citation styles for your publications. While MLA is more common for humanities subjects, APA is preferred for scientific and engineering disciplines. Both include variations on the following information: author name, year of publication, article title (if necessary), publication name, volume, issue, page numbers and publisher. See below for an appropriate (APA-style) publication example to include in your bioinformatics resume.

Skills

The skills section of a bioinformatics analyst resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include statistical data analysis, attention to detail or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Again, refer to the bioinformatics scientist job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.

How to list hard skills on your bioinformatics resume

Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for bioinformatics scientist jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, your hard skills list helps to show employers how competent and experienced you are at key bioinformatics scientist duties and responsibilities. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.

Your resume hard skills list should reflect your unique and specific industry expertise and experience, while also fulfilling the requirements listed in the job description. See the examples below for an idea of what an effective bioinformatics resume hard skills list looks like.

Soft skills on your bioinformatics resume

Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for a bioinformatics scientist position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.

A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a bioinformatics resume, see below.

Relevant Certifications and Licenses

In this section, include any bioinformatics scientist certifications, training or licenses you hold that are relevant to the job. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for bioinformatics scientist roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.

Read on to see some relevant example certifications for a bioinformatics analyst resume:

Optional Information

As well as the main sections of a bioinformatics analyst resume, optional sections can help you prove your credentials to employers. Take a look at the sections below and add any that help you show how and why you're right for the job.

Hobbies and Interests

Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. They also help to show a different side of your personality, and can help your resume create a more memorable impression on hiring managers. If you're short on real world work experience, hobbies and interests can be a useful way of providing more information about your qualities. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.

Volunteer Experience

This section can be valuable for a bioinformatics analyst resume, if you've done any voluntary work that showcases your relevant skills. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.

References

Standard bioinformatics scientist resumes don't tend to include references, but you might find them requested occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.

Best action words for your bioinformatics resume

Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.

Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.

Sample resume for bioinformatics scientist positions

Now that you know everything that needs to go into your bioinformatics resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:

Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is just one of the tools employers and recruiters can use to streamline their hiring practices. This typically includes screening candidates by scanning and ranking their resumes based on their likely suitability for any vacancy. When you're writing your bioinformatics resume, there are several things you can do to make sure your resume stands the best chance of passing the ATS stage.

Create an ATS-optimized resume by following these quick tips:

• Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
• Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
• Include clear headings that make it easy to identify each section of your resume. This will help any ATS software navigate your resume during the scanning process.
• Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
• Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.

Takeaways for your bioinformatics resume

An effective resume is a concise, professional summary of your relevant skills and career achievements, showcased through a chronology of your career history. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.

HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. Whether you're a junior or senior candidate, a professional cover letter can help to grab the attention of the employer. Jobseeker's cover letter examples were created by careers experts to provide useful tips and ideas for your cover letter.

Sources:

(1) Resumes & Cover Letters for PhD Students, Hardvard University: https://careerservices.fas.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/161/2024/08/2024-GSAS_phd_resume_cover_letters-1.pdf

(2) Guide to Résumés and Curricula Vitae, National Institutes of Health: https://www.training.nih.gov/documents/16/Guide_to_Resumes_and_Curricula_Vitae.pdf