Competencies for bioinformatics core facility scientists: extension of the ISCB competency framework for...

Area of Science:

• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology
• Data Science

Background:

• The International Society of Computational Biology (ISCB) competency framework sets a minimum standard for bioinformatics professionals.
• Existing frameworks do not address career progression from junior to senior or technical to managerial roles.
• Bioinformatics core facility professionals lack a defined career structure, creating a development vacuum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To extend the ISCB competency framework with specific requirements for bioinformatics core facility professionals.
• To support the recruitment, development, and retention of staff in core bioinformatics facilities.
• To establish a career progression pathway for bioinformatics core facility personnel.

Main Methods:

• Leveraged the experience of the ISCB's BioInfoCore community.
• Built upon existing competency frameworks.
• Defined six new competency requirements tailored for core facility operations and management.

Main Results:

• Six new competency requirements were defined: user needs identification, project management, team management, user engagement, bioinformatics training, and core facility leadership.
• These competencies were mapped to a career progression framework.
• The extended framework addresses the specific needs of bioinformatics core facility staff.

Conclusions:

• The developed framework provides essential competencies for bioinformatics core facility professionals.
• This framework supports career development and retention within core facilities.
• The competencies are crucial for advancing data-driven bioscience through effective bioinformatics support.