Bioinformatics Technicians
Apply principles and methods of bioinformatics to assist scientists in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. Apply bioinformatics tools to visualize, analyze, manipulate or interpret molecular data. May build and maintain databases for processing and analyzing genomic or other biological information.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Complex Problem Solving
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Speaking
Key knowledge
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Biology
- Design
- Engineering and Technology
- Chemistry
- Education and Training
What the work involves
- Monitor database performance and perform any necessary maintenance, upgrades, or repairs.
- Analyze or manipulate bioinformatics data using software packages, statistical applications, or data mining techniques.
- Confer with researchers, clinicians, or information technology staff to determine data needs and programming requirements and to provide assistance with database-related research activities.
- Create data management or error-checking procedures and user manuals.
- Document all database changes, modifications, or problems.
- Maintain awareness of new and emerging computational methods and technologies.
- Participate in the preparation of reports or scientific publications.
- Test new or updated software or tools and provide feedback to developers.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Investigative, Conventional, Realistic.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree (50.9% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years (35.2%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year (48.3%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 4: Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Bioinformatics Technicians is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
- Projection education uses SOC 15-2099 (detailed_parent); it may describe a broader group.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 82% of occupations compared | 48% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Low | Lower on dealing with the public than 72% of occupations compared | 24% of surveyed respondents chose “Not important at all” |
| Teamwork | Moderate | Higher on teamwork than 54% of occupations compared | 60% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | Moderate | Lower on freedom to make decisions than 57% of occupations compared | 40% of surveyed respondents chose “A lot of freedom” |
| Time pressure | Very low | Lower on time pressure than 82% of occupations compared | 57% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a month or more but not every week” |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 94% of occupations compared | 36% of surveyed respondents chose “Never” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 96% of occupations compared | 39% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Low | Lower on consequence of error than 65% of occupations compared | 48% of surveyed respondents chose “Fairly serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: very low
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: low
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 28.1%
- Contact with others about half the time: 3.35%
- Contact with others most of the time: 20.72%
- Constant contact with others: 47.83%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2014
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 24.29%
- Fairly important: 23.22%
- Important: 14.31%
- Very important: 19.95%
- Extremely important: 18.22%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2014
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 5.16%
- Important: 16.82%
- Very important: 17.9%
- Extremely important: 60.12%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2014
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 1.77%
- Limited freedom: 30.43%
- Some freedom: 27.73%
- A lot of freedom: 40.07%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2014
Time pressure
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 8.35%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 56.7%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 22.68%
- Every day: 12.27%
n = 21, Incumbent 07/2014
Conflict situations
- Never: 36.16%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 28.75%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 34.08%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 1.01%
- Every day: 0%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2014
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 38.42%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 38.84%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 21.73%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 1.01%
- Every day: 0%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2014
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 6.75%
- Fairly serious: 47.87%
- Serious: 25.7%
- Very serious: 10.96%
- Extremely serious: 8.73%
n = 22, Incumbent 07/2014
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O*NET-SOC 15-2099.01 · SOC 15-2099 (detailed_parent, medium confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8