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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Develop and maintain cutting-edge genomic data infrastructure with a focus on reliability and scalability.
- Company: Join the European Bioinformatics Institute, a leader in genomic research.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, generous leave, and private medical insurance.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in bioinformatics while working with innovative technologies.
- Qualifications: Experience in software development, particularly with Python and database management.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with excellent career growth and learning opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 ÂŁ per year.
About the Team
We build the foundations of services used by researchers worldwide to interrogate and explore genomic data. The Ensembl project and EMBLâEBI are looking for a Senior Platform Developer to develop, maintain and evolve the infrastructure underpinning our nextâgeneration resources.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Shape the Ensembl platform's technical direction, building reliable, scalable systems and guiding best practices.
- Work with technologies such as Terraform, Kubernetes, GitLab CI/CD and data services to deliver genomic data efficiently at scale.
- CI/CD automation to improve reliability and deployment speed.
- Develop and maintain robust APIs (REST, gRPC, GraphQL), balancing performance, scalability and operational simplicity.
- Integrate and manage containerised environments on Kubernetes and cloud platforms.
- Oversee access and performance for highâavailability MySQL, MongoDB, and Redis clusters.
- Architect resilient backend systems, identify root causes of complex performance issues and implement lasting solutions.
- Enhance observability and monitoring for proactive insights into system performance and availability.
- Provide technical guidance and mentorship, supporting team members through design discussions, code reviews, and knowledge sharing.
- Evaluate and advocate for appropriate tools and frameworks, selecting the right solution for each problem space.
- Collaborate with Ensembl teams to plan, coordinate, and deliver integrated platform releases and improvements.
- Drive continuous improvement by streamlining workflows, reducing technical debt and promoting sustainable engineering practices.
Qualifications
- Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- Proven software development experience in one or more programming languagesâideally Pythonâwith a track record of clean, maintainable, efficient code.
- Experience with database management systems, both relational (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, DuckDB) and NoSQL (e.g., MongoDB).
- Background in software and dataâengineering practices, including version control, release management and deployment workflows.
- Ability to investigate, troubleshoot and optimise system performance from applicationâlevel debugging to infrastructure diagnostics.
- Continuousâimprovement mindset, proactively enhancing processes, tools and team practices.
- Familiarity with collaborative development and projectâtracking tools (GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Confluence).
- Experience with largeâscale or distributed computing environments, HPC clusters or cloudâbased systems, and containerisation technologies.
- Demonstrated collaboration with technical and scientific teams.
- Adaptability to a varied technology stack and willingness to learn new tools and frameworks.
Desirable
- Familiarity with Perl.
- Handsâon experience with Python frameworks such as FastAPI, Django, Ariadne, SQLAlchemy.
- Proficiency in SQL and shell scripting.
- Experience with Rust, Go or TypeScript.
- Experience building and maintaining scalable backend services.
- Proficiency designing and implementing solutions for high availability, fault tolerance and scalability.
- Knowledge of distributed systems, microservices or cloudânative applications.
- Experience maintaining technical documentation and SOPs.
- Interest in AIâassisted development tools.
- Practical experience with monitoring tools (Prometheus, Grafana).
- Experience with large datasets and dataâintensive pipelines.
- Experience in genomics or related scientific domains.
- Effective communication with nonâtechnical stakeholders.
- Curiosity about genomics and biology, and willingness to learn from domain experts.
Behaviours
- Curiosity about how systems work and desire to improve them.
- Comfort with ambiguity and enjoyment in proposing and testing paths forward.
- Positive impact on genomic research and open science.
- Belief in continual improvement of infrastructure, tools and self.
- Enjoyment of tackling challenging technical problems and finding elegant solutions.
- Thriving in collaborative environments and valuing learning from others.
- Interest in applying software skills to bioinformatics or related fields.
First Six Months
- Month 1: Contribute code through pull requests, participate in code reviews and become familiar with Ensembl's workflows and architecture.
- Month 3: Understand key platform components and dataârelease processes, collaborate across teams and identify areas for improvement.
- Month 6: Present technical insights, propose improvement initiatives, lead code reviews and bestâpractice discussions.
Other Helpful Information
- To apply: submit an application with a cover letter and CV. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Hybrid working: the team works two days on site and three from home.
- Interviews: selected candidates will be invited to a firstâround technical assessment, followed by introductory calls and final interviews planned for midâFebruary 2026.
- Contract length: 3 years (grantâbased). Salary: Grade 6 monthly salary starting at ÂŁ3,695 after tax (excluding pension and insurance contributions). Plus generous benefits.
Benefits
- Monthly family, child and nonâresident allowances; annual salary review; pension scheme; death benefit; longâterm care, accidentâatâwork and unemployment insurance.
- Flexible working arrangements â including hybrid patterns.
- Private medical insurance for you and your immediate family (prescriptions, dental and optical cover).
- 30 days annual leave plus public holidays.
- Relocation package including installation grant (if required).
- Campus life: free shuttle bus, onâsite library, subsidised gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, sports and social club activities.
- Family benefits: onâsite nursery, 10 days child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family allowances.
- NonâUK residents: visa exemption, education grant for private schooling, financial support to travel home every second year and a monthly nonâresident allowance.
Diversity & Inclusion
EMBL is a signatory of DORA. We encourage applications from candidates of all genders, identities, nationalities and diverse backgrounds.
Closing Date 05/02/2026
Seniority Level MidâSenior level
Employment type Contract
Job function Engineering and Information Technology
Senior Platform Developer in London employer: European Bioinformatics Institute | EMBL-EBI
Contact Detail:
European Bioinformatics Institute | EMBL-EBI Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice đ¤Ť
We think this is how you could land Senior Platform Developer in London
â¨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the bioinformatics field on LinkedIn or at meetups. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.
â¨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! If youâve got a GitHub or personal project showcasing your coding chops, make sure to share it during interviews. Itâs a great way to demonstrate your expertise beyond the resume.
â¨Tip Number 3
Prepare for technical interviews by practicing coding challenges and system design questions. Use platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to sharpen your skills and boost your confidence.
â¨Tip Number 4
Donât forget to apply through our website! Itâs the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Platform Developer in London
Some tips for your application đŤĄ
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Platform Developer role. Highlight your experience with technologies like Terraform, Kubernetes, and Python, and donât forget to showcase any relevant projects that demonstrate your skills in building scalable systems.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why youâre passionate about bioinformatics and how your background aligns with the Ensembl project. Be sure to mention specific experiences that relate to the job description.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In both your CV and cover letter, include examples of how you've tackled complex technical challenges. This could be anything from optimising system performance to implementing CI/CD automation. We love seeing how you think!
Apply Through Our Website: Donât forget to submit your application through our website! Itâs the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, it shows youâre serious about joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at European Bioinformatics Institute | EMBL-EBI
â¨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure youâre well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Terraform, Kubernetes, and GitLab CI/CD. Brush up on your knowledge of APIs and database management systems, as these will likely come up during technical discussions.
â¨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Prepare to discuss specific examples where you've tackled complex performance issues or improved system reliability. Be ready to explain your thought process and the steps you took to implement lasting solutions.
â¨Demonstrate Collaboration
Since this role involves working closely with various teams, think of instances where youâve successfully collaborated on projects. Highlight your experience in mentoring others and how youâve contributed to team discussions and code reviews.
â¨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the Ensembl platform and its future direction. This shows your genuine interest in the role and helps you gauge if the company aligns with your career goals and values.
