Computer Programmer

Axle Labs; Rockville (MD); On-site; USD 125,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage

Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays

401K match up to 5%

Educational Benefits for Career Growth

Employee Referral Bonus

Flexible Spending Accounts

Job summary

Axle is seeking a Computer Programmer to join the NIH/NCI team in Bethesda, MD, supporting SCS, SMART, and NFRP systems. The role involves maintaining, enhancing, and securing critical biomedical informatics tools used for grant reporting and portfolio analysis.

You will troubleshoot production issues, develop software fixes, and ensure data integrity across NIH/NCI environments while working onsite at NCI Shady Grove in Rockville approximately 1–2 days per week.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, IT, Computer Engineering, or related field.
• Extensive experience developing, testing, debugging, and maintaining complex software applications using multiple programming languages.
• Advanced experience with data management, database analysis, system integration, and data validation.
• Experience supporting production applications in a multi-user environment.
• Knowledge of NIH grants management and budget-reporting processes.
• Knowledge of NIH IMPAC II and NCI I2E DM database structures, including extramural grant data.
• Experience configuring and maintaining IRDB and NCI I2E scripts used for grant-data downloads.
• Experience with application upgrades, configuration management, testing, deployment, and release management.
• Knowledge of federal information-security requirements, FIPS, secure software development, and vulnerability remediation.
• Ability to work onsite at NCI Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland, ~1–2 days/week.
• Availability for after-hours support during deployments/year-end reporting.

Responsibilities

• Maintain, enhance, secure, and modernize NCI’s SCS, SMART, and NFRP systems.
• Troubleshoot production issues, errors, performance problems, and outages.
• Develop, test, debug, and deploy software fixes and upgrades.
• Support web applications, databases, servers, interfaces, and backup environments.
• Integrate, validate, import, export, and migrate data across NIH/NCI systems.
• Customize data downloads and reporting for portfolio analysis and grant reporting.
• Modify IRDB and NCI I2E scripts for changes in data structures.
• Monitor logs and performance metrics; recommend improvements.
• Support configuration, change, release, backup, recovery, and continuity processes.
• Remediate vulnerabilities found by security scans and ensure compliance.
• Develop automation to improve reliability and workflows.
• Provide elevated support during deployments and year-end activities.

Skills

Software development

Data management

System integration

Security & compliance

Production support

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

IRDB

NCI I2E scripts

eRA/IMPAC II

Job description

(ID: 2026-3546)

Axle is a bioscience and information technology company that offers advancements in translational research, biomedical informatics, and data science applications to research centers and healthcare organizations nationally and abroad. With experts in biomedical science, software engineering, and program management, we focus on developing and applying research tools and techniques to empower decision-making and accelerate research discoveries. We work with some of the top research organizations and facilities in the country including multiple institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Axle is seeking a Computer Programmer to join our vibrant team at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) supporting the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, MD.

Benefits We Offer:

• 100% Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage for Employees
• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
• 401K match up to 5%
• Educational Benefits for Career Growth
• Employee Referral Bonus
• Flexible Spending Accounts:
  • Healthcare (FSA)
  • Parking Reimbursement Account (PRK)
  • Dependent Care Assistant Program (DCAP)
  • Transportation Reimbursement Account (TRN)

Responsibilities

• Maintain, enhance, secure, and modernize NCI’s Scientific Coding System (SCS), Scientific Managers Analysis and Reporting Tool (SMART), and NCI Funded Research Portfolio (NFRP).

• Troubleshoot production issues, application errors, performance problems, and system outages.

• Develop, test, debug, and deploy software fixes, upgrades, and system enhancements.

• Support web applications, databases, servers, interfaces, backup environments, and third-party components.

• Integrate, validate, import, export, and migrate data across NIH and NCI systems.

• Customize data downloads and reporting processes supporting scientific portfolio analysis, grant reporting, and year-end activities.

• Maintain and modify IRDB and NCI I2E process scripts in response to changes within eRA, IMPAC II, and related data structures.

• Monitor application logs, alerts, and performance metrics and recommend improvements.

• Support configuration, change, release, backup, recovery, and continuity-of-operations processes.

• Remediate vulnerabilities identified through HHS and NCI security scans and ensure changes comply with federal security requirements and FIPS standards.

• Develop scripts and automation to improve system reliability, data processing, and administrative workflows.

• Provide elevated support during production deployments, year-end reporting, and other critical operational periods.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or a related field.

• Extensive experience developing, testing, debugging, and maintaining complex software applications using multiple programming languages.

• Advanced experience with data management, database analysis, system integration, and data validation.

• Experience supporting production applications in a multi-user environment.

• Functional knowledge of NIH grants management and budget-reporting processes.

• Knowledge of NIH IMPAC II and NCI I2E DM database structures, including extramural grant and funding data.

• Experience configuring and maintaining IRDB and NCI I2E scripts used for Institute- or Center-specific grant-data downloads.

• Experience with application upgrades, configuration management, testing, deployment, and release management.

• Knowledge of federal information-security requirements, FIPS standards, secure software-development practices, and vulnerability remediation.

• Ability to work onsite at NCI Shady Grove in Rockville, Maryland, approximately one to two days per week.

• Availability for occasional after-hours support during deployments and year-end reporting.

Disclaimer: The above description is meant to illustrate the general nature of work and level of effort being performed by individuals assigned to this position or job description. This is not restricted as a complete list of all skills, responsibilities, duties, and/or assignments required. Individuals may be required to perform duties outside of their position, job description or responsibilities as needed.

The diversity of Axle’s employees is a tremendous asset. We are firmly committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and will not tolerate any illegal discrimination or harassment based on age, race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, covered veteran status, sexual orientation, status with respect to public assistance, and other characteristics protected under state, federal, or local law and to deter those who aid, abet, or induce discrimination or coerce others to discriminate.

Accessibility: If you need an accommodation as part of the employment process please contact: [e-mail]

This role has a market-competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation range listed below. Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location.

Salary Range

$125,000—$135,000 USD