Use computing and molecular biology to read the genetic code of pathogens and people. Jamaica's National Genomic Sequencing Facility employs bioinformaticians and genomic sequencing scientists to track virus variants, support disease surveillance, and run high-throughput sequencing.
Salary Breakdown
Graduate laboratory or data posts at about Band 7 on the restructured scale ($3,501,526 - $4,709,163 per annum). Indicative placement while you gain the experience specialist posts require.
Estimated Take-Home Pay
Based on the midpoint of the Entry salary range ($4,105,345 JMD), after NIS, NHT, Education Tax, and PAYE.
Show deduction breakdown
- Gross (annual)
- $4,105,345 JMD
- NIS (3%)
- −$123,160 JMD
- NHT (2%)
- −$82,106 JMD
- Education Tax
- −$89,599 JMD
- PAYE Income Tax
- −$519,956 JMD
- Net (annual)
- $3,290,522 JMD
Estimate only — illustrative rates and thresholds, not tax advice. Confirm current figures with Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ) and the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).
Career Path Roadmap
- 1
High School & CXC Subjects
Pass CSEC Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Information Technology and English. CAPE Biology, Chemistry and Computer Science are strong preparation.
5 years (Forms 1-5) - 2
BSc in Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology or Computer Science
Build both lab and coding skills (Python, R, Linux).
3 years - 3
Clinical or Research Laboratory Experience
Scientist posts ask for five years' clinical lab experience, two of them in virology, molecular microbiology or immunology.
2 - 5 years - 4
Master's in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology or Genetics
The Bioinformatician post requires a master's plus five years' data analysis or computational biology experience, including tools such as BLAST, GATK and Bioconductor.
1 - 2 years - 5
Bioinformatician / Genomic Sequencing Scientist (SOG/ST 7)
Run sequencing pipelines, analyse genomes and support genomic surveillance.
3 - 5 years - 6
Manager, Genomic Sequencing (SOG/ST 8)
Requires a doctorate with eight years' lab experience, or a master's with ten, including four supervisory years.
5+ years
Required Education
- CSEC/CXC Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, English, Information Technology
- CAPE Biology and Chemistry
- BSc in Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Computer Science or related field
- Master's in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Data Science or Genetics (for Bioinformatician)
Common Local Certifications
- Laboratory quality standards: GLP, ISO 15189, ISO 15190, ISO 17025, ISO 9001 (required for sequencing scientist posts)
- Linux / high-performance and cloud computing experience
Where to Train
Local Institutions Offering Programs
- University of the West Indies, Mona (UWI) - Faculty of Science & Technology (Life Sciences, Biochemistry, Computing)
- University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) - Faculty of Science & Sport