Software Engineer (2 years term)

InsideHigherEd; Ontario; Hybrid; CAD 101,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading university is seeking a Software Engineer to manage software infrastructure for advanced research projects. You will work on developing self-driving laboratories, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and ensuring seamless integration of hardware and software components. This role offers a hybrid work arrangement and focuses on innovative solutions to address global challenges.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years of recent and relevant hands-on experience in software development.
• Experience with hardware integration and writing drivers for laboratory equipment.

Responsibilities

• Designing, implementing, deploying, and maintaining robust software systems.
• Analyzing and writing program scripts to extract, reformat, and analyze data.
• Leading and planning IT projects.

Skills

Python

Problem-Solving

Communication

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science

Master's Degree

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Airflow

Prefect

Job description

Faculty / Division : Faculty of Arts & Science

Department : Acceleration Consortium

Campus : St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Position Number : 57738

Description : About us :

The Faculty of Arts & Science is the heart of Canada’s leading university and one of the most comprehensive and diverse academic divisions in the world. The strength of Arts & Science derives from our combined teaching and research excellence in the humanities, sciences and social sciences across 29 departments, seven colleges and 46 interdisciplinary centres, institutes and programs.

We can only realize our mission with the dedication and excellence of engaged staff and faculty. The diversity of opportunities and perspectives within the Faculty reflect the local and global landscape and the need for curiosity, innovative thinking and collaboration. At Arts & Science, we take pride in our legacy of innovation and discovery that has changed the way we think about the world.

The Acceleration Consortium (AC) at the University of Toronto (U of T) is leading a transformative shift in scientific discovery that will accelerate technology development and commercialization. The AC is a global community of academia, industry, and government that leverages the power of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, materials sciences, and high-throughput chemistry to create self-driving laboratories (SDLs), also called materials acceleration platforms (MAPs). These autonomous labs rapidly design materials and molecules needed for a sustainable, healthy, and resilient future, with applications ranging from renewable energy and consumer electronics to drugs. AC Staff Scientists will advance the infield of AI-driven autonomous discovery and develop the materials and molecules required to address society’s largest challenges, such as climate change, water pollution, and future pandemics.

The Acceleration Consortium received a $200M Canadian First Research Excellence Grant for seven years to develop self-driving labs for chemistry and materials, the largest ever grant to a Canadian University.

Your opportunity :

The AC is developing seven advanced SDLs. These include :

1. Inorganic solid-state materials,

2. Organic small molecules for advanced materials,

3. Drug discovery with chemical probes,

4. Polymers for materials science and biological applications,

5. Formulations for pharmaceuticals, consumer products, and coatings,

6. Biocompatibility (organ-on-a-chip), and

7. Synthetic scale-up of materials and molecules.

As a Software Engineer at the AC, you will play a pivotal role in managing and optimizing our software infrastructure to support these high-impact research projects. Your daily tasks will include designing, implementing, deploying and maintaining robust software systems required for SDL operations and ensuring the seamless orchestration of hardware and software components. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams, troubleshoot and resolve system issues and contribute to the continuous improvement of our self-driving laboratory platforms to ultimately de-risk and democratize the SDL concept for the global research community.

This is a two-year term position with the possibility of renewal.

Your responsibilities will include :

• Analyzing, recommending, and designing highly complex software architecture
• Analyzing and writing program scripts to extract, reformat and analyze data
• Designing, testing, and modifying programming code
• Evaluating programming code to ensure it has validity, compatibility, and that it meets appropriate standards
• Developing technical application implementation plans
• Analyzing, recommending and designing technical solutions for highly complex IT problems
• Leading and planning IT projects
• Serving as a resource on specific issues to a group of specialists

Essential Qualifications :

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related field or an acceptable combination of education and experience. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum five years of recent and relevant hands-on experience in software development, particularly in scientific or high-tech environments.
• Proficiency in Python and their scientific packages (e.g. NumPy, SciPy, Pandas)
• Experience with hardware integration, including writing drivers and API wrappers for laboratory equipment.
• Experience with workflow management tools such as Airflow and Prefect.
• Familiarity with containerization (Docker) and orchestration systems (Kubernetes).
• Experience with working in DevSecOps teams
• Good working knowledge in other languages such as C# and Bash
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a fast-paced, research-driven environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Knowledge of AI / ML techniques and frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and their application in scientific experimentation.
• Familiarity with high-performance computing environments, including job schedulers (e.g., SLURM, PBS, or LSF).
• Proficiency in Linux systems administration, including command-line tools, shell scripting, and system configuration.
• Experience in developing and managing scalable data infrastructures (e.g. databases, data pipelines)
• A track record of contributing to open-source projects.
• Familiarity with materials informatics, cheminformatics, or similar domains.
• Prior experience working in multidisciplinary teams involving academia and industry.

To be successful in this role you will be :

• Accountable
• Goal oriented
• Insightful

This role is currently eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, pursuant to University policies and guidelines, including but not limited to the University of Toronto’s Alternative Work Arrangements Guideline .

Closing Date : 05 / 23 / 2025, 11 : 59PM ET

Employee Group : USW

Schedule : Full-Time

USW Pay Band 16 $101,539. with an annual step progression to a maximum of $129,851. Pay scale and job class assignment is subject to determination pursuant to the Job Evaluation / Pay Equity Maintenance Protocol.

Job Category : Engineering / Technical

Lived Experience Statement

Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience shall be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

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All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement

The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http : / / uoft.me / UP .

Accessibility Statement

The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [emailprotected] .

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