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Ask HN: Is bioinformatics/computational biology a valuable field?
I’m wondering if these jobs will be valued/be in demand in the future, and how much I would earn. I’m currently doing an undergrad Bioinformatics/comp. bio. (BCB) at my university, but I’m unsure if the job market looks very good, and some google searches lead me to believe the pay isn’t great. Furthermore, to get further in the field, a PhD is generally required, which is certainly not appealing. I’m currently aiming to apply for medical school, but am also considering doing a joint degree with BCB and a comp sci major to be more competitive if I don’t get in. However this would mean graduating a bit late. Any thoughts on either my degree, or what the future holds for this field?
- JPLeRouzic 9y agoI could tell you non-specific tips about jobs. Differentiating yourself is important if you want to get the best pay in your field. Some jobs are quite repetitive and could be automated easily. And a lot of jobs in bioinformatics are re-inventing the wheel, sometimes awfully. It would pay IMO to think at a higher level, standardize the toolset and procedures, use the excellent tooling that the profession has already adopted. Galaxy is a step in this direction, so it would not pay to be a good practitionner, but it would pay to be the guy that can automate bio-informatics jobs. You can have also a niche competency, like knowing how to operate a specific hardware or software. I would not bet on that approach. You can also try some professional certification, or knowing regulations in your field or be expert on some quality assurance procedures. You can also try to be able to manage large bio-informatics projects from project design to operation and strategic steering.