Staff Bioinformatics Software Engineer

CooperSurgical; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Parental leave

Fertility benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

CooperSurgical seeks a Staff Bioinformatics Software Engineer in Houston, TX, to lead the design and development of cutting-edge software solutions for genetic testing products. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 7 years' experience in software development, especially in bioinformatics, and possess a strong understanding of NGS algorithms. Responsibilities include developing new features, mentoring junior engineers, and collaborating with biologists. Benefits include medical coverage, 401(k), and parental leave.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of experience in software development.
• Experience in mentoring and leading development teams.
• Strong work discipline and process orientation.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of NGS platforms.
• Analyze biological data using statistical techniques.
• Collaborate with biologists to design experiments.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to their growth.

Skills

NGS algorithms

R or Python

Linux

AWS solutions

Git

statistical methods

GPU-accelerated frameworks

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field

Master’s or Ph.D. degree preferred

Tools

Docker

Bash scripting

bioinformatics toolkits

Job description

Job Description

The Cooper Surgical R&D Software team is dedicated to developing and maintaining cutting-edge software solutions for the Life Sciences product portfolio. As a Staff Bioinformatics Software Engineer on the CSI Software R&D team, you will lead the design, development, and maintenance of high‑throughput next generation sequencing data and analysis platforms that power CooperSurgical’s genetic testing products. The role reports to the Head of Software Development and has a dotted line to the Head of Life Sciences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of new features and enhancements for Cooper Bioinformatics products.
• Serve as a subject‑matter expert in bioinformatics, analyzing and interpreting biological data using statistical and computational techniques.
• Collaborate with biologists to design experiments and analyze data outcomes.
• Develop algorithms for sequence analysis, gene prediction, and related applications.
• Drive the evolution of software development practices, identifying opportunities for automation, efficiency, and innovation.
• Mentor and guide junior engineers, fostering their growth and development.
• Contribute to architectural decisions and technical strategy for current and future CSI projects.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in NGS algorithms and analysis pipeline development, including data workflows, processing pipelines, and bioinformatics file formats (FASTQ, SAM/BAM, VCF).
• Strong experience designing and optimizing targeted NGS panels, genome assemblies, and statistical modeling.
• Proficiency in high‑level scripting languages such as R or Python, delivering complex, high‑quality software solutions.
• Experience with Linux operating system, Bash scripting, and common bioinformatics toolkits (Bowtie 2, BWA, GATK, SAMtools, FastQC).
• Strong understanding of AWS cloud solutions (S3, RDS, EC2) and pipeline development tools (Snakemake, Nextflow).
• Experience with Git version control, unit testing, test‑driven development, and containerization (Docker, Conda).
• Knowledge of statistical methods such as Hidden Markov Models and a strong foundation in linear algebra.
• Familiarity with GPU‑accelerated frameworks such as NVIDIA Parabricks is a plus.
• Outcome‑focused mindset with strong process discipline and a commitment to timely project delivery.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and mentoring skills.
• Continuous learning and staying current with emerging technologies.

Work Environment

• Occasional domestic and international travel (~10%).
• On‑site in Houston, TX.

Experience

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience, with a track record of increasing responsibilities and leadership in software development.

Education

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in computer science, bioinformatics, data science, mathematics, statistics or a related field.
• Master’s or Ph.D. degree preferred.

Benefits

• Medical coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Parental leave.
• Fertility benefits.
• Paid time off for vacation, personal, sick, and holidays.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

CooperSurgical is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are an equal opportunity workplace. If you require special assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please contact [e-mail].