Full Stack Developer

embl; Hinxton; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 43,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working patterns

Private medical

Pension scheme

Job summary

EMBL-EBI is seeking a software engineer to deliver data portals for biodiversity projects. You will curate data, validate metadata and build project portals with APIs and bespoke visualisations.

You’ll expose data via MCP servers and agent-based interfaces, driving containerised workflows and cloud integration. You’ll collaborate with large scientific communities, provide guidance on software usage, and contribute to an ambitious data-insight initiative from a Wellcome Genome Campus base in

Qualifications

• BSc or MSc in computer science or related fields.
• Expertise in Python, NumPy, Pandas, PySpark, Django, DRF, FastAPI.
• Experience with relational and non-relational databases.
• Extensive experience in data warehousing, ETL, and big data processing.
• Proficient in Unix/Linux and version control (GIT).
• Strong communication and English language skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop data portals and APIs for biodiversity projects.
• Handle data curation, validation, and metadata standards.
• Build project-specific portals and extend existing portals.
• Create visualisation and presentation solutions for consortium data.
• Support containerised workflows and cloud platform integration.

Skills

Python development

Unix/Linux

Big data processing

ETL

Communication

English language skills

Education

BSc or MSc in computer science or related fields

Tools

PostgreSQL

Elasticsearch

Redis

Docker

Kubernetes

GIT

Job description

Your role

This is an exciting opportunity to make a significant contribution by delivering data portals for several world leading projects tackling global sustainability and biodiversity challenges including:

• Ancient Environmental Genomic Initiative for Sustainability ( https://aegisearth.bio/en ).


• Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes (FAANG) ( https://www.faang.org )


• European Reference Genome Atlas ( https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/ ),


• TRansversing European Coastlines ( https://www.embl.org/about/info/trec/ )

You will be responsible for support and development of software to handle data curation, coordination, validation, distribution and visualisation of agriculture, aquaculture and biodiversity data. You will work with large scientific communities to define and implement metadata standards, develop software to validate and improve data descriptions and develop, build new project specific portals, and extend existing web data portals to meet the specific needs of each consortium.

The data portals will include Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and bespoke data visualisation and presentation solutions. You will also contribute to our growing \"question in → insight out\" initiative, exposing consortium data through MCP servers and agent-based interfaces so that researchers can ask scientific questions in natural language and get back analysis, not just download links. You will also support efforts for the development of standardised containerised workflows and cloud platform integration.

Reporting to our Genome Analysis Team Leader, you'll be part of a high performing team enjoying many opportunities to engage with data generators, project users, and collaborators. As part of this you will provide valuable guidance and support on the utilisation of the team's software and support users to provide rich metadata descriptions.

You will work with a range of data archives at EMBL-EBI, including the ENA and BioSamples, to support each project and community in sharing and gaining access to well described, high quality sample and genomic data.

You have

• A BSc or MSc in computer science or related fields


• Expertise in Python, including popular Python libraries: NumPy, Pandas, PySpark and frameworks: Django, Django Rest Framework, FastAPI


• Hands-on experience with both relational (e.g. PostgreSQL) and non-relational databases (e.g. Elasticsearch, Redis)


• Extensive experience in data warehousing architecture, big data processing and ETL


• Demonstrable expertise in Unix/Linux environments


• Experience with GIT and working in collaborative software environments


• Willingness to learn new skills as required by the project


• A self-motivated work ethic and be capable of working both independently and as part of a team


• Excellent communication, interpersonal and English language skills

You may also have

• Experience developing or maintaining web-based applications (html, css, Javascript frameworks such as Angular, React)


• Cloud (GCP or AWS) and popular cloud Big Data tools - BigQuery, Dataflow, Looker


• Hands on containerisation experience (Docker or similar) and orchestration (e.g. with kubernetes)


• Experience processing of biological archive data


• Tests and CI/CD


• Curiosity or experience with LLM APIs, agent frameworks, MCP, or retrieval-augmented systems - we are actively building in this space and welcome enthusiasm here even without prior production experience

Contract length

2 years grant funded fixed term contract.

Salary

Grade 5, or 6 depending on experience.

Grade 5: monthly salary from £3,452.05, or, Grade 6: monthly salary from £3,861.91 after tax plus financial allowances based on family circumstances. Excluding personal pension and insurance contributions.

Why join us

Do something meaningful

At EMBL-EBI you can apply your talent and passion to accelerate science and tackle some of humankind's greatest challenges. EMBL-EBI, part of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, is a worldwide leader in the storage, analysis and dissemination of large biological datasets. We provide the global research community with access to publicly available databases and tools which are crucial for the advancement of healthcare, food security, and biodiversity.

Join a culture of innovation

We are located on the Wellcome Genome Campus, alongside other prominent research and biotech organisations, and surrounded by beautiful Cambridgeshire countryside. This is a highly collaborative and inclusive community where our employees enjoy a relaxed atmosphere. We are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their professional potential. Watch this video to see how EMBL-EBI makes an impact.

Enjoy lots of benefits

• Financial incentives: Monthly family, child and non-resident allowances, annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurances


• Flexible working arrangements - including hybrid working patterns


• Private medic