Senior Software Engineer - Translational Genomics in Cambridge

The Translational Genomics Group builds open-source software that accelerates rare disease diagnosis. In this role, you will become a key contributor to seqr, a platform used internationally by many research groups and consortia to search large genomic datasets and identify disease-causing variants to empower families and discover novel biology. seqr has helped provide genetic diagnoses to more than 5,000 rare disease families.

You will work across the full stack — cloud deployments, data pipelines, backend APIs, databases, and user interfaces. You’ll start with well-scoped tasks guided by our lead software engineer, and progressively take on larger, more complex tasks and ownership of areas of the system as your capabilities grow.

What We’re Looking For

We value technical aptitude and willingness to learn just as highly as pre-existing domain knowledge. You should be able to work independently and solve engineering problems with minimal mentoring on the technical side. The genomic and clinical domain is complex and constantly changing — we’re prepared to invest in a longer learning curve there. You don’t need to arrive knowing genomics. You do need to arrive ready to build software independently and take ownership of your work.

Responsibilities

• Develop features across the full platform: data pipelines (Python/Hail), backend services (Python/Django), databases (PostgreSQL, ClickHouse), and frontend interfaces (React, Redux).
• Assist with deployment related troubleshooting and maintenance.
• Work independently on assigned tasks, growing in scope and complexity over time.
• Collaborate with the lead software engineer on design and architecture, progressively taking on more scoping and design work as you gain experience.
• Maintain and extend data pipelines that ingest genomic data, annotate variants, and load them into analytical databases.
• Build and improve user interfaces that help researchers find disease-causing variants.
• Understand the deployed environment well enough to assist with maintenance and troubleshooting when needed.
• Write tests, participate in code review, and contribute to CI/CD workflows.
• Collaborate with computational biologists, clinicians, and researchers to translate requirements into well-engineered solutions.

Relevant Technologies

• Python/Django
• JavaScript/React.js/Redux
• PostgreSQL
• ClickHouse
• Google Cloud Platform (Dataproc, GCS, Cloud Build)
• Hail (genomic data processing framework)
• Docker/Terraform/Helm
• Bash/Unix/Linux environments
• Git

Experience with all technologies is not required. AI-assisted coding tools can be used where appropriate.

Requirements

• Requires 5+ years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in related discipline; or 3+ years and a Master’s degree. Candidates with a PhD in a related field will also be considered.
• Full-stack experience — comfortable across backend, database, and frontend layers.
• Strong Python and Javascript skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage your own time effectively.
• Openness to AI-assisted development tools, with good judgment about responsible use around sensitive data.
• Strong communication skills and comfort working with non-technical collaborators.
• Curiosity and adaptability — willingness to learn new domains and technologies on the job.
• Availability to be in the office at least twice per week.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with React.js, Redux, or similar frontend frameworks.
• Experience with PostgreSQL, ClickHouse, or related databases.
• Experience with data pipelines, ETL, or data-intensive applications.
• Familiarity with Google Cloud Platform, Docker, Terraform, and Helm.
• Experience with genomics, bioinformatics, or clinical data environments (HIPAA, PHI).
• Experience with Hail or workflow orchestration tools.

Growth and Development

This role is designed to grow with you. You’ll start with well-defined tasks with guidance readily available, progressively take on larger areas of the system, and have a voice in where you focus — while maintaining breadth across the platform. The goal is for you to move toward a collaborative relationship with the lead engineer, influencing architecture and helping scope work over time.

Team Environment

The seqr team is small and highly productive. You will work closely with a lead software engineer and product owner who provides direction and design guidance — with the explicit goal of needing to do less of that over time. The team operates with clear technical leadership and shared accountability.

The broader group works at the frontiers of genomic medicine. We value intellectual curiosity, creativity, and collaboration across disciplines. We expect our engineers to be open to adopting new tools and technologies - including AI-assisted coding - as they prove useful. The work is fast moving and loosely structured — we need teammates who are engaged in the mission, committed to quality engineering, and comfortable learning new domains.

We are committed to building a diverse team. We know many excellent candidates choose not to apply despite their capabilities — if you are a software engineer eager to grow professionally and participate in high-impact open science, we encourage you to apply.