1. Purpose and Commitment

At Bioinformatics.ca, our mission is to connect skilled bioinformatics professionals with legitimate academic, clinical, and commercial opportunities. We recognize that trust is the currency of the scientific community. As such, we maintain a zero tolerance policy regarding fraudulent job postings.

This policy outlines our approach to addressing fraudulent job postings, including but not limited to identifying, reporting, and removing these postings.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all publicly advertised job postings on Bioinformatics.ca

3. Definition of Fraudulent Job Postings

We define a fraudulent job posting as any publicly advertised job posting that is false, attempts to mislead or deceive applicants, or attempts to extract money and/or personal data under false pretenses. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Misrepresentation of Employer Identity: Using the branding, names, or reputation of real firms, universities, or research institutes without authorization.
  • Phishing: Postings designed primarily to harvest sensitive personal information (SSN, visa details, banking info) under the guise of an application.
  • Financial Scams: “Pay-to-work” schemes or requests for candidates to purchase equipment upfront from a specific vendor.
  • Non-Existent Jobs: Postings for positions that do not exist, often used to build a database of resumes for marketing or spam purposes.

4. How to Report a Fraudulent Job Posting

We rely on our community to help maintain platform integrity. If you spot a potentially fraudulent posting:

  1. Do not apply.
  2. Email our team directly at info@bioinformatics.ca with the subject line “Job Board: Potential Fraud” or submit a report through our Report a Job Posting form.

5. Enforcement

If a job posting is suspected or confirmed to be fraudulent, Bioinformatics.ca will take action. Our remediation process is as follows:

A. Suspension and Removal

Upon receipt of a credible report or internal flag, the job posting in question will be removed from public view pending an investigation.

B. Investigation

Our team will conduct an investigation, including contacting the official Human Resources (HR) department or Principal Investigator (PI) of the alleged hiring organization to verify the listing.

C. Permanent Ban

If fraud is confirmed, the posting will be removed immediately and the associated account will be permanently banned from Bioinformatics.ca. All other active listings associated with that account will be removed. The entity will be banned from making future postings.

6. Disclaimer

While Bioinformatics.ca utilizes strict vetting procedures, we cannot guarantee the legitimacy and accuracy of every job posting due to the sophisticated nature of modern scams. Bioinformatics.ca does not endorse or recommend employers, and job postings on Bioinformatics.ca do not constitute endorsement or recommendation.

We urge all applicants to exercise due diligence at all times, including when responding to job postings, accepting employment opportunities, and communicating with potential employers. Applicants are responsible for researching hiring organizations and verifying the employment terms and conditions before applying to or accepting a position.

Legitimate hiring organizations will never request financial information, social insurance/security numbers, or payment for background checks during the initial application phase.

7. Retention

This policy and all previous versions will be retained for three years after ceasing to be in effect.