Software Engineer (Backend) - Essex Management

Emmes; Rockville (MD); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Emmes Group’s Essex Management unit is seeking a Backend Software Engineer to design, deploy, and scale enterprise software for cancer clinical trials. You will build RESTful services and data pipelines in AWS/GCP, collaborating in an agile SCRUM environment.

You’ll code in Python/Java, apply modern DevOps practices, and contribute to architecture and documentation while mentoring junior engineers in a fast-paced, mission-driven team. Occasional Rockville HQ visits are expected.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of software development experience in one or more programming languages and data structures/algorithms.
• Experience building enterprise software systems in AWS or GCP environments.
• Experience with RESTful API and/or gRPC integrations and JSON/XML data formats.
• Experience with Git, GitHub, and CI/CD workflows.
• Experience with container technologies such as Docker and orchestration with Kubernetes.

Responsibilities

• Manage task priorities, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Develop scalable, reliable enterprise-grade software systems and services.
• Write well-tested code with unit, integration, and BDD tests.
• Contribute to architecture diagrams, API documentation, and SOPs.
• Participate in SCRUM ceremonies and cross-functional collaboration.
• Mentor junior team members and shadow senior engineers during interviews.

Skills

Python

Java

Ruby

AWS

GCP

SQL/ORM

RESTful APIs

CI/CD

Git/GitHub

Docker

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

GitHub Actions

Job description

Software Engineer (Backend) - Essex Management

Location - Mostly remote within the US. (Please be advised that there is an expectation despite majority of the work being remote that one can come into the HQ in Rockville, Maryland roughly 10% of the year for new project kicks offs, team building, company town halls etc.)

About Essex

This position supports "Essex, an Emmes Company". Essex is a biomedical informatics and health information technology-focused consultancy founded in 2009 and headquartered in Rockville, MD. The Essex team comprises experts with extensive experience in strategically developing and managing complex health and biomedical information programs for clients in the Federal Government, research academia, and private sectors.

Primary Purpose

This is an engineering role that works as part of the software engineering team towards the development and deployment of enterprise and informatics software systems to support cancer clinical trials and research. The role provides a strong career growth opportunity in an innovative technology environment working in one of our nation's premier research organizations.

Responsibilities

• Manage individual task priorities, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Develop scalable, reliable, and performant enterprise-level software systems and services for our clients, using an Object-Oriented programming language and software libraries/framework.
• Write well-tested and maintainable code leveraging unit, integration, and BDD tests.
• Contribute to project documentation, including architecture diagrams, sequence diagrams, API documentation, and technical SOPs.
• Participate in SCRUM Sprint planning, standup, review, and retrospective meetings.
• Work in a collaborative cross-functional team environment to move features (JIRA tasks) across all tiers in a CI/CD Agile SCRUM environment.
• Be a proactive part of the software engineering team, looking to make improvements to our engineering practices.
• Shadow senior team members during interviews.
• Contribute to mentoring junior members of the team.

Qualifications

• Strong communication skills (oral and written).
• Experience coding in Python, Java, Ruby, or comparable programming languages.
• Experience building enterprise software systems that run in either AWS Cloud or GCP Cloud environments using technologies such as AWS managed services such as ECS, Lambda, SQS, SNS, S3, API Gateway, DynamoDB, OpenSearch, Aurora PostgreSQL, Neptune, DocumentDB, CDK, or Google managed services such as Google Buckets, AppEngine, Cloud Functions, Pub/Sub, Postgres, and BigQuery.
• Experience developing software systems with a backing relational and/or NoSQL databases using ORM libraries such as sqlaclhemy.
• Experience developing microservices with RESTful API and/or grpc to exchange data via JSON, XML, and other data exchange formats.
• Experience integrating with Okta and additional 3rd party systems.
• Experience working in an agile development environment with methodologies such as SCRUM or Kanban.
• Experience using Git, GitHub, and GitHub Actions.
• Experience with container and orchestration technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes are a plus.
• 2+ years of software development experience in one or more programming languages and with data structures/algorithms.
• Possession of a Bachelor or Graduate degree in a technical field such as Computer Science from an accredited college or university (according to CHEA).
• Preferred Experience: Experience with AI-assisted engineering practices and tools such as GitHub Copilot, Codex, or Claude Code, as well as conducting efficient and accurate code reviews of AI-generated code.
• 2-5 years of experience building enterprise software systems that run in a Production AWS or Google Cloud environment.
• 1-2 years of working with a CI/CD pipeline using Git, GitHub, and GitHub Actions (or similar tools).
• Cloud development or architect certification is a plus.
• Experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Microsoft Azure is a plus.

Be Part of One Team, One Purpose.

At Emmes Group, we’re shaping the future of clinical research—where human intelligence meets cutting-edge technology to drive meaningful advancements in healthcare. With over 47 years of scientific excellence, we’ve led groundbreaking research in cell and gene therapy, vaccines, infectious diseases, ophthalmology, rare diseases, and neuroscience. Through our two business units—Emmes, a full-service CRO, and Veridix AI, our technology, data, and analytical solutions —we are modernizing clinical trials and accelerating the development of life-changing therapies. We believe that every clinical breakthrough starts with people—people who are passionate, purpose-driven, and ready to make an impact. At Emmes Group, we bring People, Science, and Technology together to collaborate with our customers and deliver global health impact.

Our culture is built on integrity, collaboration, and innovation, ensuring that every challenge is met with perseverance and accountability.

If you’re looking for a career where your work advances global health and where scientific excellence meets real-world impact, join us and be part of something bigger. One Team, One Purpose.

CONNECT WITH US! Find us on LinkedIn:/the-emmes-group/ Visit our website: https://www.theemmesgroup.com/