The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has invested in a National Bioinformatics Service Platform (BSP) with the aim of providing a range of user-centred and well-coordinated computational bioinformatics services to the South African biotechnology industry and life science researchers. The BSP service shall encompass access to bioinformatics expertise, computational infrastructure, human capital development activities and research partnership opportunities. DST has appointed a BSP steering committee, based on a nomination process, to oversee the high level strategy or business plan of the BSP.

The BSP would like to call for nominations for the Education and Training (E&T) sub-committee as well as the Services and Support (S&S) sub-committee members. These sub-committees will focus on advocacy, consultation and outreach projects, as well as propose plans to address the high-level strategy areas proposed by the steering committee. The Services & Support sub-committee will review requests for hosting BSP staff and the Education & Training sub-committee will review requests for specialised courses and trainings. These sub-committees will meet regularly to develop the strategic direction of the platform under these two focus areas. The BSP manager will be involved in these meetings and will be responsible for implementing these strategies. The chairpersons for these sub-committees will be appointed from the steering committee. The sub-committees will compose five members, including the chairperson.

Education and Training committee will provide:

•         Coordination and planning of bioinformatics training for different

          stakeholders,

•         Guidance on bioinformatics education activities; and

•         Coordination and planning of bioinformatics events.

Services and Support Committee will provide:

•         Guidance on service models;

•         Guidance on support needs; and

•         Advice on infrastructure development (equipment).

The candidates must demonstrate a good understanding of the needs of bioinformatics services and/or training to non-bioinformaticists and clearly demonstrate at least 5 years of experience in one or more of the following criteria:

•     Provisioning of high-end computational bioinformatics services;

•     Deploying and/or developing computational bioinformatics tools;

•     Implementing comprehensive bioinformatics education programs; and

•     Engaging in life sciences and/or biomedical research that is critically

     dependent on bioinformatics services.

The committees’ composition will take into consideration ethnicity, gender and geographical representation.

Please kindly express your interest in joining one or more of these committees by sending an email to Mr Edward Rakate: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. together with a CV.

The closing date for nominations of all above committees is 31October 2014.