Bioinformatics Developer

About this position

We are seeking a highly motivated bioinformatics developer to help expand comparative genomics resources in Ensembl (www.ensembl.org), a world-leading provider of genomics data, infrastructure and tools.

The Earth Biogenome Project (https://www.earthbiogenome.org) aims to coordinate the sequencing, assembly and annotation of the genomes of all known species on the planet.  This will provide unprecedented molecular-level insights into evolution and biodiversity, and for the first time we will be able to study the genomics of whole ecosystems. Ensembl will provide a platform for the annotation and comparison of these genomes.

You will join the Ensembl comparative genomics team whose work spans computational biology, software development, large-scale compute, big data, workflow management and automation. We collaborate with consortia and communities from all over the world to compare an ever-increasing number of genomes and infer their evolutionary history.

As part of the team, you will help us develop software and processes that are capable of comparing thousands of genomes, thereby contributing meaningfully towards making Ensembl the world’s leading resource for exploring the genomics of biodiversity.

Your role

You will develop and maintain software and workflows for the processing and management of large genomic data sets. You will work on improving the automation, scalability and reliability of our existing workflows, whilst at the same time developing new workflows and processes that are capable of processing and serving comparative data for thousands of genomes.  Your specific responsibilities will include:

• Maintenance and development of our database and software infrastructure for comparative genomics data
• Design and implementation of innovative infrastructure solutions to increase automation, reliability and scalability of our data processing pipelines and workflows
• Coordination of production workflows and delivery of processed data as part of the Ensembl release cycle

You have

You should have a post-graduate qualification (MSc, PhD or equivalent) in computational biology or bioinformatics, and should have practical experience working with big data. Specifically, we are looking for:

• Proficiency with at least one programming language (e.g. Perl, Python)
• Proficiency with relational databases and SQL
• Experience with cloud computing and containerisation
• Experience working with high-performance compute clusters
• Ability to understand, write and maintain complex code

Problem-solving skills and attention to detail are critical aspects of this role. You should also be comfortable with communicating your ideas both orally in writing, and have the ability to manage time and keep to deadlines. 

You might also have

Experience with the following will be considered a plus:

• Genome databases and genomic data
• Developing software for commercial cloud platforms (e.g. Amazon or Google)
• Developing software as part of a large collaborative team
• NoSQL databases (e.g. graph databases or document stores)

Why join us

EMBL-EBI is a worldwide leader in bioinformatics. We encourage personal and professional development and are committed to ensuring our employees feel valued, supported and empowered to reach their potential at work.

Surrounded by beautiful South Cambridgeshire countryside, our state-of-the-art Campus provides employees with a relaxed atmosphere where the pursuit of scientific discovery and meaningful work, underpin every role. In addition, our employees have access to a wide range of benefits including:

• 30 days annual leave per year plus 8 bank holidays
• Flexible work arrangements
• Unique pension scheme including 17% employer contribution
• Annual salary review
• Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)
• Death benefit, long-term care, accident at work and unemployment insurances
• Relocation package including installation grant (if required)
• On-site library and subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria
• Casual dress code
• Free shuttle bus to and from Campus
• Extensive sports and social club activities (run on campus and remotely)
• Family benefits: Onsite nursery, child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowances
• Benefits for non-UK residents:Visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel back to your home country every second year and a monthly non-resident allowance

What else you need to know

To apply please submit a covering letter and CV through our online system. 

At EMBL-EBI, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ and individuals from all nationalities. Visa exemptions will be offered to international candidates and details will be discussed during interview. We believe in science without borders and this continues after Brexit.

This role is based in Hinxton, UK and you will be required to relocate once it is safe to do so if you are currently based abroad. More info on how we are recruiting in this period is available on our page: Recruitment and Onboarding during Covid19.