Recruiting students for Integrated Genome Browser team

Update – 12/23/17

Our schedule slipped, and so we are now scheduling interviews for the first and second week of January. If you have not submitted an application, there is still time to be considered for spring semester.

To apply, send your resume to Dr. Loraine – aloraine@uncc.edu.

How to prepare for an interview

To start, it may be helpful to watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKu_SEDAykw

To better understand how you approach problems, Dr. Loraine will give you a coding problem to solve at a whiteboard. Be ready to work through the problem out loud and explain your thinking. Practicing ahead of time with a friend can help.

Dr. Loraine will also ask you about tools & technologies from your resume. Be ready to explain these tools and how they work. Be prepared to describe problems you used these tools to solve. In the IGB project, developers need to explore & learn new tools and libraries and understand how to apply them. So it’s important for everyone to be able to analyze, evaluate, and explain.

If time permits, Dr. Loraine may ask you to try a coding problem (at the computer) in Java.

Seeking graduate students – CS, Biology, Bioinformatics

We are looking for graduate students to help develop and promote Integrated Genome Browser, a fast, flexible, free, open source genome browser used by thousands of researchers worldwide.

IGB uses a plug-able architecture (based on OSGi) that lets developers add new functionality as “Apps” – code bundles we will distribute using a to-be-built on-line App Store. You’ll help the team maintain, improve, and showcase the IGB platform.

Depending on your progress, you’ll help write Apps and have the opportunity to publish a short article describing your App. As an example, see this paper by IT Masters Student Tarun Mall, now at Amazon.

We are also looking for students to develop training, technical documentation, and outreach materials to support IGB users and developers. You’ll present IGB in classes and help answer users’ support questions.

If interested, send your resume as PDF email attachment to Prof. Ann Loraine at aloraine@uncc.edu. Please include links to class projects or personal source code repositories if available. Applicants for training and outreach positions can show their skill by including writing samples and links to presentations on YouTube or other platforms.

Deadline to apply is Monday November 20, but we’ll begin reviewing resumes immediately. We aim to interview candidates in November and notify applicants by the beginning of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The first appointment will be for spring 2018 and continue into summer and fall depending on your progress, interest, and schedule. Students are also welcome to start in fall, depending on your schedule.

Requirements (for programming positions):

  • Java programming skill (experience with Java 8 preferred!)
  • Team programming using git
  • Expertise with OSGi, or motivation to learn

For more information, see:

Requirements (for testing and outreach positions):

  • Excellent presentation, communication, and teaching skills
  • Deep knowledge of molecular biology and genomics
  • Experience building presentations materials using PowerPoint, KeyNote, Camtasia and related tools
  • Technical writing ability (see Microsoft Manual of Style)
  • Graphic design skills are especially welcome!!!