[dumby]

Try looking for bioinformatics jobs. It involves big data where the amount of data to be analyzed is growing exponentially every year, a lack of knowledge on what to research to provide meaningful results, and huge benefit when people come up with novel ways to interpret data successfully.

It will involve acquiring some domain specific knowledge to be truly successful (what hard problem doesn't?), but you will be able to dive in straight away and make huge contributions just by making current analysis more efficient!

[tomh]

+1 for bioinformatics - adding to that are the issues surrounding the complexity of the data (look up HL7 or CDISC to see how complex) and also the legal standards and ramifications (HIPPA, 21 CFR Part 11) of working with clinical research.

In short, getting domain knowledge in the above are essential to solve the tough problems at the big-pharma or national-bio-labs level.

(PS to the other poster looking for bioinformatics programs: I suggest you look in Boston - Tufts, MIT, Harvard etc)

[paulgb]

I'm slightly hijacking the thread here, but does HN have any recommendations on CS-heavy bioinformatics grad programs (not just US based)?

[Evbn]

Threadjacking? This question should be a front page discussion, instead of gossipy crap.

I would love to know as well.

[Blahah]

I second this. In computational biology we work on hard problems with real outcomes which potentially change or save lives. Some of the problems are probing at the fundamental mechanisms of life. We need more programmers who aren't afraid of hard problems.

[lazyjones]

I don't know, I still remember this from HN: http://madhadron.com/a-farewell-to-bioinformatics