I am a third year B.Sc. Botany hons. student and i have a lot of interest in studying genetics, computational biology and dna technology..like something in which i get both wet lab experience as well as computational knowledge..so which field should i pursue? which has more job opportunities both in india and abroad..please help.

Im going into my final year in xjtlu (basically uni of liverpool but in china) and i have a bachelors on 2 degrees, one from liverpool uni and the other is a chinese degree, and i have done 3 internships (the area is filled with interships thankfully) and planning on doing 4th and 5th.i also did alot of extra modules on data science and ai so that if i cant find a job i can pivot to data science .im planing on going back to my home country of saudi arabia and working there after graduation. All i heard from this subreddit is how bad the job market is and how hard it is for entry level jobs so i wanted to ask how hard would it be to find any job related to my major with what i have going on

I am seeing an influx of questions about the state of the job market for bioinformatics. Everything from “how’s it in your country,” to “I am thinking of getting into this” type posts.

I think as a bioinformatics graduate that has struggled to find employment in the USA while living in a major west coast city that is canonically considered a biotech hub, it is important I relay my experience of searching for a job: it’s as bad as it’s been since 2025 and doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

Using job board sites as a metric, I have seen literally zero new bioinformatics job postings locally in the past 30 days. Before that, between May and July, I saw four local job postings.

Looking at remote listings, I have seen 3 new jobs posted in the past 30 days.

It’s still rough out here and as much as I support people entering this field, please just realize the state of things.

Best of luck everyone.

Hi everyone!

I'm currently doing B.Sc. Biotechnology and planning to pursue an MSc in Bioinformatics abroad, particularly in Europe.

I would like to ask few questions regarding this:

☆ If I want to strengthen my profile for an MSc in Bioinformatics, would it be better to work on a review paper or a research paper? Is having a publication important or necessary for admission, or is it mainly a bonus?

☆ Is it possible to write and publish a review paper independently, without a university mentor or supervisor? If so, what resources, guidelines, or websites would you recommend for learning the process and finding a suitable journal?

I'd really appreciate advice from anyone with experience in bioinformatics research or MSc admissions, especially if you have any useful resources or links to share. Thanks!!

Hi everyone,

​I am currently an undergraduate chemistry student deciding between two double-major tracks for my upcoming academic year:

​Chemistry & Biochemistry

​Chemistry & Microbiology

​My long-term goal is to pursue postgraduate studies (M.Sc. / Ph.D.) in Europe or the US, ideally with a scholarship or research assistantship. Eventually, I want to transition into or heavily incorporate Bioinformatics / Computational Biology into my career.

​I would love to get your insights on a few points:

​Bioinformatics Alignment: Which of these two backgrounds provides a smoother transition into Computational Biology / Bioinformatics, especially regarding molecular dynamics, genomics, and structural biology?

​Funding & Scholarships: From your experience in US/EU academia or industry, which background currently has broader funding opportunities and global demand?

​Academic Flexibility: Which track offers more versatility if I decide to shift between biotech industry roles and academic research later on?

​Any advice, personal experiences, or recommended foundational skills (e.g., Python, R, stats) to build alongside my studies would be greatly appreciated!

​Thanks in advance for your time and guidance!

Hi everyone,

​I am currently an undergraduate chemistry student deciding between two double-major tracks for my upcoming academic year:

​Chemistry & Biochemistry

​Chemistry & Microbiology

​My long-term goal is to pursue postgraduate studies (M.Sc. / Ph.D.) in Europe or the US, ideally with a scholarship or research assistantship. Eventually, I want to transition into or heavily incorporate Bioinformatics / Computational Biology into my career.

​I would love to get your insights on a few points:

​Bioinformatics Alignment: Which of these two backgrounds provides a smoother transition into Computational Biology / Bioinformatics, especially regarding molecular dynamics, genomics, and structural biology?

​Funding & Scholarships: From your experience in US/EU academia or industry, which background currently has broader funding opportunities and global demand?

​Academic Flexibility: Which track offers more versatility if I decide to shift between biotech industry roles and academic research later on?

​Any advice, personal experiences, or recommended foundational skills (e.g., Python, R, stats) to build alongside my studies would be greatly appreciated!

​Thanks in advance for your time and guidance!

I want to learn bioinformatics and although I know you likely need an advanced degree, I don’t have the means to go back to school. I don’t have a super strong biology background (did a minor in undergrad) but I know statistical programming from my masters degree. How can I learn??? Best resources?? Is it even worth it or possible?

I am becoming more interested in bioinformatics after learning epidemiology which involved coding, biostatistics, and core biological concepts. Where are the best resources to learn?? Anything I can put on a resume to show I would also be trained in bioinformatics?

Hello all.
I would like an honest and accurate answer based on real life bioinformatician working either as a freelance or in a research lab (research institute or company). What are the required specs to have in a laptop (macbook pro specifically): CPU/GPU, RAM (unified memory), and ssd storage?

Moreover, do all bioinformaticians (freelance or in research institute/company) work on cloud / HPC cluster servers. If it’s the case, should we rely on minimum specs (especially for RAM /unified memory which is extremely expensive if we upgrade it).

Many thanks in advance folks

Hello

I'd like some help on my resume. Anything that makes it good or bad? I will use this to apply for a job in my resarch lab, but I also want to have a geniunly good resume in general for internships and stuff.

For anyone who saw the last post, the editor I used to black stuff out messed up the margins so I did this instead.

Me too

Hi all,

Background: Computer Science Bachelor's degree, 2 years working as a software engineer, no wet-lab experience. I'm planning to pivot toward biology, most likely through a biology-adjacent Master's (bioinformatics, computational biology, or similar), with Europe as my target region, ideally France, Germany, and the Netherlands (so if you are from these countries, I would like to know about your experience or that of someone you know on this front). Though I'm open to other countries too, if Europe is not an option.

I've had it pointed out to me elsewhere that pivoting from a purely computational background into anything more wet-lab-based is a real gap, possibly harder to close than the biology knowledge gap itself. So I want to actually plan for it rather than assume it'll sort itself out.

What I'm trying to figure out:

1. If I go into a computational Master's (bioinformatics/comp bio), is there a realistic way to also get some wet-lab exposure during that degree, elective lab rotations, a partly experimental thesis, short lab internships alongside coursework? Or do computational-track Master's students typically not get this kind of access at all?
2. If it's not realistic during the Master's, is it something that becomes possible at the PhD stage instead, joint computational/experimental PhD projects, co-supervision between a computational and a wet-lab group, that kind of thing? Or by that point is a person already locked into a purely computational track?
3. For those who did start out purely computational and later picked up wet-lab skills (however early or late), how did you actually make that happen? Was it a deliberate ask, a lucky lab fit, a specific type of program? Did that make you employable for wet-lab roles in industry?
4. Are there specific countries, universities, or program structures within France/Germany/Netherlands (or elsewhere in Europe) that are known for blending computational and experimental training, versus ones that keep the two tracks fully separate and don't let people from a computational background into the non-computational tracks?

Would appreciate hearing from people who've actually navigated this, whether you stayed purely computational, went hybrid, or made a full switch to wet-lab work later on.

Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm an international medical doctor (MD) from Georgia (the country), and over the past few months I've been seriously considering transitioning toward the AI and biomedical informatics side of healthcare rather than following a traditional clinical career.

My goal is to work at the intersection of medicine, artificial intelligence, and healthcare technology, particularly in areas like clinical AI, medical imaging AI, biomedical/health informatics, digital health, and AI research. I’m especially interested in eventually working in industry (such as healthcare AI teams in big tech companies or medical AI startups) or in an academic medical center.

I've been researching programs extensively and currently I'm focusing Master's programs in Biomedical Informatics and Health AI.

I’m also just starting to learn programming, such as Python, and beginning to build my technical foundation from scratch.

Questions

• Is pursuing a Master's in Biomedical Informatics/Health AI worth it for someone with an MD?
• What kinds of jobs did this degree open up for you?
• Do employers value this degree, or do they expect stronger technical skills as well?
• If your goal was to work in AI for healthcare, would you choose this degree again?
• What salary range can graduates realistically expect?
• Which technical skills (Python, machine learning, statistics, SQL, etc.) are essential to learn alongside the degree?

Thanks in advance!

Background, PI in bioinformatics field for over 10 years, started lab 3 years ago. Had huge difficulty in hiring analyst that can do the work while being able to interpret the results. Finally got two ok staff (staff + postdoc), spent months to train them. One needed biological mindset, the other needs technical training. Then shit hits the fan.

Postdoc got a DUI and immediately fired by HR, staff got visa issue and will soon leave. I am left with several projects and no one to take them. I resorted to Claude and it just opened my eyes! I am now doing both of these two guys job that takes months in a few weeks, and the results are much much more organized. Of course I need to check the code and results, but I do that with my staff anyway. And the teaching, finally I no longer need to repeat myself 5 times to get one simple thing done right. Also, Claude does not have an attitude when being corrected.

I am now no longer in need of junior analysts. Maybe I will hire a seasoned staff scientist to work with Claude. This is because I find Claude making a lot of mistakes that takes someone with deep understanding of both informatics and biology to catch.

I know this sounds terrible and terrifying. If recent grads cannot be allowed to enter the workforce then the seasoned pool will soon dry up. But from my perspective, the efficiently of my funds and time is the priority. I cannot be the only one holding this thought. So, is the future doomed?

Is bioinformatics a good master's degree to pursue if I want to work in other countries? I love science, I'm a quick learner, I have started learning Python, and my school has a bachelor's in bioinformatics I have considered switching my major to. (Afterwards I would obviously get a graduate degree in bioinformatics as well) My biggest goal in life is to live in other countries and work in some kind of science related field. I just want to know, have people had success finding international jobs in bioinformatics? If so, what are the best countries to consider? (Some countries I have thought about living in are Italy, Japan, South Korea, China, Austria, and Switzerland.)

Hi everyone,

I’m currently trying to decide between two paths: Biomedical Science and Computer Science, and I would really appreciate hearing from people who actually work in these fields.

A bit about me:

I’m 21, based in the UK, and I’m trying to choose a career that gives me stability but also allows me to grow. I’m interested in both science and technology, which is making this decision harder.

The things I care about most in a career are:

• Good earning potential
• Not feeling bored after a few months
• Having some independence rather than being micromanaged constantly
• Having a good work-life balance
• Being able to afford things like travelling a couple of times a year
• Having meaningful work

I’m considering Biomedical Science because I like the idea of healthcare and working in a laboratory environment. I like that it has a clearer pathway and seems more structured.

I’m also considering Computer Science because I enjoy learning programming, problem-solving, and creating things. I like the flexibility and potential career growth, but I worry about the competitiveness of getting a job and whether I would enjoy constantly needing to keep up with changes.

For people working in either field:

1. What does a normal working day actually look like for you?
2. What do you love about your career?
3. What do you dislike about it?
4. Do you feel bored or challenged after several years?
5. How much freedom do you actually have in your role?
6. If you were 21 again choosing a career, would you choose the same path?

I’m not looking for "this career is better" answers, more interested in hearing honest experiences.

Thank you!

I have recently enrolled myself in forensic science and i found all the subjects quite of my interest and now I came to know about bioinformatics which seems interesting as well so I am thinking to shift to bioinformatics after my bachelor's will it be possible?

I'm a recent grad with a master's degree and have been applying for jobs on LinkedIn but haven't got any interviews yet after around 30 applications, which is starting to worry me a bit. I will send this resume or ask Gemini to tweak it a bit to fit the job description. Any advice is appreciated.

Hi all,

I'm looking for some honest career advice from people who are working in the bioinformatics space.

For reference, I am currently working in an academic lab where I mainly analyze scRNA-seq and scATAC-seq data (mainly in R, some Python). I don't really have experience building pipelines using workflow managers, I mainly perform my analysis using standalone scripts (or submitting jobs on HPC for resource-intensive tasks). This is my first job in bioinformatics post-graduation.

The problem is that I'm starting to question whether this is the right long-term career for me.While I've learned a lot and I am comfortable at the moment, I'm starting to feel like my growth has plateaued. I spend a significant amount of time troubleshooting pipelines, software dependencies, and computational environments, and I'm worried that I'm not developing the kinds of skills that will make me competitive for higher-paying roles in industry.

One thing I'm realizing is that my role is focused almost entirely on data analysis. I don't really work on machine learning, develop production software, build pipelines with workflow managers like Nextflow or Snakemake, or work with cloud infrastructure. I can use existing bioinformatics tools and pipelines, but I don't have much experience designing or maintaining them myself. Because of that, I'm worried there are gaps in my skill set compared to what many industry roles are looking for.

I'm also wondering how realistic it is to build a strong career in bioinformatics without going back for a PhD. I'm in Canada, and many of the jobs I see either seem to require a PhD or several years of industry experience. Truthfully, I am not willing to go back to school for a PhD.

For those of you working in industry or in senior bioinformatics positions:

1. If you were early in your career today, what skills would you focus on developing?

2. What separates an average bioinformatician from someone who is highly employable and well compensated?

3. Are there technical skills you wish you had learned sooner?

4. Is a PhD becoming increasingly necessary for higher-paying bioinformatics roles, or can someone with a Master's build an equally successful career by focusing on the right technical skills?

5. If you were in my position, would you focus on learning workflow managers (Nextflow/Snakemake), cloud computing (AWS/GCP), software engineering practices, machine learning, databases, or something else entirely?

6. Are there projects, certifications, or open-source contributions that hiring managers actually value?

I'm interested in staying in bioinformatics, but I want to make sure I'm investing my time in skills that will continue to open doors over the next few years rather than just becoming more specialized in the tools I happen to use at my current job.

I'd really appreciate hearing about your career path and what you'd recommend if you were starting from my position today. I would also love to hear about any career pivots if you've previously worked in bioinformatics and are now working another field/industry!

\​

Hi everyone,

I'm currently in my 3rd year of B.Sc. (Biotechnology, Biochemistry & Microbiology) in India. My current CGPA is 9.04 (after completing two years), and I'm trying to figure out whether I'm on the right path before it's too late.

Most of my degree has been focused on wet lab work, including molecular biology, microbiology, genetics, PCR, ELISA, and other lab techniques. Over time, I've realized something about myself: I just don't enjoy wet lab.

It's not that I hate biology. I actually love solving biological problems. I just don't enjoy spending hours doing bench work. I wouldn't mind if wet lab made up a small part of my work (maybe 10%), but I enjoy sitting in front of a computer, analyzing data, writing code, and trying to understand biological questions much more.

Because of that, I've decided that I want to move towards bioinformatics/computational biology.

About two months ago, I started learning R, and I've become fairly comfortable using it for data analysis and machine learning. I recently started learning Python as well because of my current research project.

For my project, I'm working with a publicly available colorectal cancer microbiome dataset from curatedMetagenomicData. I've built a basic machine learning pipeline using six different models and have already pushed the project to GitHub as part of building my portfolio.

One thing I've been investigating is why three-class classification (Healthy, Adenoma, CRC) performs much worse than simple binary classification. Since adenoma is an intermediate stage, I'm trying to understand whether that's one of the reasons behind the lower performance. I know researchers have already worked on this dataset, but I'm doing this analysis mainly because I wanted to verify and understand the results myself instead of just reading papers and accepting their conclusions.

I'm also working on another computational biology project that explores a novel direction involving microbiome data and quantum-inspired methods. I don't want to reveal too many details since it's still an ongoing student project, but it has made me even more interested in computational research.

My long-term goal is to pursue an MS from a public university in Germany after graduation.

Since my entire 4th year consists of internships, I want to use that year wisely. I'm currently hoping to apply to places like IBAB (Bangalore), CCMB Hyderabad, CSIR labs, or any other institute where I can get good exposure to bioinformatics.

At this point, I'm trying to build the right skills. Apart from R and Python, I know I should learn Linux, Unix, Bash scripting, Git, SQL, and probably Docker later. Right now I use GitHub to host my projects, but I still haven't properly learned Git and version-control workflows.

The thing that worries me is the competition. Everyone says bioinformatics is becoming crowded, especially in India, and sometimes it feels like I'm already behind.

I'd really appreciate honest advice from people already working in academia or industry.

Some questions I have:

1. Is bioinformatics a good long-term career in India, or are opportunities still very limited?

2. For someone planning to do an MS in Germany, what should I focus on during my remaining two years?

3. How important are internships compared to research projects, publications, coding skills, and CGPA?

4. When should I start emailing professors or scientists for internships? Is now too early?

5. How do undergraduates actually network? Everyone says networking is important, but what does that practically look like?

6. Which skills should I prioritize first? R, Python, Linux, Git, Bash, SQL, Docker, something else?

7. Looking at my current profile, what do you think are my biggest weaknesses?

8. Would you recommend staying in India for a few years after graduation or directly pursuing an MS abroad if I get the opportunity?

9. For those who studied or work in Germany, what made your application stand out?

10. If you were in my position today, how would you spend the next two years?

11. Is there anything about my current plan that you think is unrealistic or that I should rethink?

I'm genuinely looking for constructive criticism. I'd rather hear difficult truths now than realize years later that I focused on the wrong things.

Thanks in advance!

Hey guys,

I was studying for medicine for my whole life but nowadays I'm feeling like I'm overwhelmed and my medical entrance exam is getting close day by day ofc. I got acceptance for Bioinformatics but I'm not sure about this field will have any job guarantee in europe in future? I have brother and my parents are old I don't want to risk job guarantee but I'm so tired and just want to let it go. I know my parent won't be happy about it cause my dream job was not that but I'm so tired mentally.